Project to urbanize Îlot P in Lyon Confluence by Josep Lluís Mateo and Dominique Perrault

Last September, Mateo Arquitectura, together with the French practice Dominique Perrault Architecture, presented a proposal for the project to urbanize Îlot P in Lyon Confluence, to the south of the city of Lyon.
This competition forms part of the process of urban remodelling being conducted throughout the Lyon Confluence area with the aim of lea- ving behind its industrial past. The project involved the urban development of a city block (Ilôt P), including housing, commercial areas and offices (laid out in two buildings), and landscaping.

Mass Plan

The project developed by Mateo Arquitectura and Dominique Perrault Architecture comprises: building A devoted prin- cipally to housing, though there is also a small office sec- tion, and building B, which houses offices and shops. One of the principal project requirements was sustainability, so the roofs and façades accommodate solar and photovoltaic panels to optimize energy consumption.

Building A, designed by Josep Lluís Mateo, is bounded by the railway line on one side and a street leading to the city centre on another, and overlooks the river. This location influences the layout inside the building, with the apar tments overlooking the river and good views, whereas the offices look out towards the railway line.

The apartments are given the maximum flexibility of space to adapt to individual needs. This flexibility is reflected in both in the structure and layout of the buil- ding, which situates the smallest dwellings on the lower floors and the larger maisonettes on the higher floors; and in the individual homes, which offer occupants a wide variety of possibilities. All the apar tments have a loggia or winter garden, a small glazed garden that can be enjoyed all year round.

In the offices, the spacious work areas are situated at the front of the building, with meeting rooms and relaxation areas for the workers in the interior spaces.
The principal materials used are concrete, glass and wood. Concrete is present in the building’s structure and façades, using light tones that evoke the local stone in the façade of the dwellings.
The use of glass serves to optimize energy, with photovoltaic panels inser ted into some of the windows. The glazed projection in the main façade, housing the loggias and winter gardens, provides solar protection. Finally, wood, found in the claddings, door and window frames, and the floors of the loggias, provides a warm atmosphere.