Coeur de ville, Montreuil, France, (1991)

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Part of

• Fonds: Álvaro Siza fonds, 1958-2002
•    Series: Architectural projects, 1948-2012
•      Project: Coeur de ville, Montreuil, France, (1991) , 1991-2003

People

• Alvaro Siza (archive creator)
• Alvaro Siza (architect)

Title

Coeur de ville, Montreuil, France, (1991)

Dates of creation

1991-2003

Level of archival description

Project

Extent and Medium

• Approximately 2,601 drawings (including 1,365 reprographic copies)
• Approximately 958 photographic materials
• 23 models
• 1 sketchbook
• 0.93 l.m. of textual records

Scope and Content

This project series documents the Urban plan for the city centre of Montreuil, France, also known as Coeur de ville. The office archivist identified this project as 24/90. The office assigned the date 1991 to this project.

During the sixties and the seventies, the construction of a mall and office towers created a rupture in the downtown of Montreuil and caused traffic problems. Siza was chosen to find architectural and urban solutions to these challenges. Luis Mendes started as a collaborator at Siza's office and finished as the architect in charge for this project. Several other architects helped during the 20 years of the Coeur de ville project, including Laurent Beaudoin, Emanuelle Beaudoin, Michel Corajoud and Christian Devillers. The concept of substitution urbanization was introduced, in order to repair the rupture created in the sixties and seventies and to introduce urban continuity in Montreuil. The Coeur de ville project proposal included a new spacial reorganization, the Victor Hugo housing building, a theater, and public spaces. In 2006, the buildings C1 and C2 were built.

The master plan purposes were to readapt the area to the singularity of the territory, reintroduce the cultural and commercial functions of the area, and to create connections between the districts. Due to a change of municipal administration in the middle of the project, only part of the plan was realized, including two housing buildings and part of the urban renewal. Siza received the Grand Prix spécial du jury de l'urbanisme in 2005 for his contribution to the Coeur de Ville project

This project series includes two subseries. Plano Centre Ville de Montreuil and Edificio de Habitaçäo Montreuil (Hamo). The Plano Centre Ville de Montreuil documents the master plans and general documentations of the project. The Edificio de Habitaçäo Montreuil documents the housing project of Siza in Montreuil.

Reference Number

AP178.S1.1991.PR05

Arrangement

Material in this series was arranged by Álvaro Siza’s office and has been kept in this order.

This project series is arranged in two subseries: Plano Centre Ville de Montreuil (AP178.S1.1991.PR05.SS1) and Edificio de Habitaçäo Montreuil (Hamo) (AP178.S1.1991.PR05.SS2).

Language of material

Portuguese, French

Related units of description

• The series is arranged in two subseries: Plano Centre Ville de Montreuil (AP178.S1.1991.PR05.SS1) and Edificio de Habitaçäo Montreuil (Hamo) (AP178.S1.1991.PR05.SS2).