green-span but not alan

Jacques Ferrier Architectures new Choisy-le-Roi bridge crosses the RER C suburban express railway lines serving passenger traffic to and from the southern Paris region. The 70 m long bridge has a traffic lane in each direction contained within wide footpaths to either side. The need for uninterrupted traffic flow – with the exception of a two hour break at night – represented the point of departure for the project’s technical and architectural design. It resulted in the bridge being designed as a straight double beam preassembled on one side of the railway lines which was then pushed out over the tracks in two operations, a solution that ensured that the overall span did not require any intermediate supports.

what floor did we park?

Located in Soissons close by the famous Saint Jean-de-la Vigne abbey, the new 600 space capacity Les Yeux Verts multi-storey car park is fundamental to the project redeveloping the Gouraud barracks into a modern business park. Jacques Ferrier Architectures have created a concrete structure, galvanised steel framework and timber cladding car park that takes the form of a contemporary yet highly restrained urban infrastructure. The style of the building is based on a clearly affirmed structure overlaid by a pleated openwork timber envelope that lightly and delicately clads the entire car park. On each level, a slit opens up in the envelope to provide views from the inside over the urban landscape of the town. The Architects have added subtle visual variations using a single retified spruce slat module by adjusting the rhythm and angling of the slats, stepping away from the façades, using solids and voids, and incorporating light and transparency into the construction. The resulting effect creates a dynamic, vibrant façades that give the car park a strong image within the town’s urban fabric. Adding to that, the Architects have also created the signage from a series of 10 photographic images that, borrowing from the 'memory' game used by Charles Eames, allows users to mentally associate the area where their cars are parked with an atmosphere, a sensation and a visual reference point. Truly a great idea!