Smartening up the township of Gignac, France

French studio, Comac reappraises the existing space and proposes new community areas for Gignac, a town near Marseilles, giving it a new lease of life.



Gignac-la-Nerthe is a small French town between Marseilles and Aix-en-Provence. In the early ‘60s, low-cost housing was built to accommodate the first wave of repatriated Algerians, the so-called Pieds-Noirs but the urban plan did not include a real town centre.



So, architects François Jaubert and Bastien Beguier from Comac focused on creating a space at the service of the community, reviving the town’s centre.





The simple, streamlined building adds visual and spatial impact to what was a deserted zone; the locals can use the sheltered spaces for informal get-togethers as well as for cultural activities. The pavilion has been painted white and has been decorated with colourful reclaimed tiles found on the site.





The redevelopment project includes a children’s playground and water fountain, which join the general landscaping that opts for native plants. An old stone barn next to the pavilion was restored to symbolise Gignac’s farming history, creating an architectural sequence that merges the newly created square with the old town hall square.



Gignac now has a new hub for community life that very elegantly unites both the people and the various historical periods in a single project.

Architect: Comac
, http://comac.ac
Landscape architect: Paul Petel

Engineer: SLH - Franck Penel

Building firms: DM construction, Paysages mediterraneens

Urban furniture: Cyria
Year: 2013
Photography: © Philippe Ruault, courtesy of Comac