Sustainable mix - Laherrère site - Pau (64)

Housing, offices, equipment and shops in wooden structure Place Laherrère

On the Place Laherrère, in the heart of the Saragosse district in Pau (64), which is undergoing major changes, the architects, urban planners, landscape designers and project managers of CoBe are bringing two 11,210 m² buildings of an ambitious programme to life.

The project is part of a demanding global sustainable development approach: E2C2 level, taking into account the principles of bioclimatic design, wood-frame walls, cladding, wood joinery and interior furniture from local species, recycled materials, etc.

On the ground floor, stained concrete arches inspired by classical language soar in elegant proportions, giving order and stability to the square. A matrix textures the concrete and transforms it into stone, anchoring the building in the ground and in history. The shops, the police station, the restaurant and the accesses to the different programmes located on the ground floor create the active base of the square. On the upper floors, the expression of the facades reveals the different uses of the buildings, reflecting the rich and varied programming of the overall project. Here, the concrete subtly dialogues with wooden joinery units that give the structure a domestic character. On these 4 upper levels, the project includes the construction of a mixed residence of housing (100 for students and 100 for young professionals), tertiary and administrative premises as well as a business centre.

At night, the magic happens, the walls of the arches light up. Lighting integrated into the joinery of the ground floor arches provides illumination at the foot of the building and accompanies local residents on their pedestrian journeys. The architecture invites people to walk through the square at any time of the day.

Reference sheet

Certifications

BEPOS Effinergie
E+C- level E2C2
Building of the Future Aquitaine

Contracting authority

Pau Béarn Habitat

Project manager

CoBe, WEEK, AiA

CoBe Mission

Complete architectural and project management
of public spaces

Program

2 buildings with a mix of 116 student flats and 60 young workers' flats,
offices, coworking space, administrative premises, facilities, second chance school,
training restaurant, police station and shops

Area

11,550 m² SDP

Cost

18 M€ HT

Delivered in 2023