18-09-2019

The KAAN and PRANLAS-DESCOURS firms design the new Chambre de Métiers et de l'Artisanat in Lille

PRANLAS-DESCOURS architect & associates, KAAN Architecten,

Fernando Guerra, Antoine Guilhem Ducléon, Sebastian van Damme,

Lille, Francia,

Offices,

In Lille, the new building hosting the Chambre de Métiers et de l'Artisanat (Chamber of Trades and Crafts) designed by the Dutch studio KAAN Architecten in collaboration with French firm PRANLAS-DESCOURS architect & associates (PDAA), stands as the new gateway to the city, interacting with both the urban fabric of the building development started in the 1980s and the surrounding landscape.



The KAAN and PRANLAS-DESCOURS firms design the new Chambre de Métiers et de l'Artisanat in Lille

The beautiful pictures taken by architecture photographers Fernando Guerra FG + SG, Sebastian van Damme and Antoine Guilhem Ducléon, highlight the elegant transparency and minimal design of the Chambre de Métiers et de the Artisanat (CMA) Hauts-De-France in Lille, designed by the architecture firm KAAN Architecten and PRANLAS-DESCOURS architect & associates (PDAA).
The new building is part of the Eurartisanat campus, an urban development project for the city launched in the 1980s, alongside plans for other urban districts. The site chosen for the building is an area of the city of Lille located at the edge of the ancient Vauban fortification, built in the 17th century, whose boundary has been replaced by a motorway. On the north side, the area is delimited by the railway line and the Jardin des Plantes de Lille; on the south side by Rue Abélard. In the future, the project for the requalification of the area will be completed by five other buildings and a green park that will become an extension of the current botanical garden.
Thanks to its position, the building that is home to the Chambre de Métiers et de l'Artisanat has became the new gate of the city, a new urban landmark that seamlessly interacts with the urban fabric and the surrounding landscape.

The architects designed a square building, developed on three levels, with a predominantly horizontal dimension, as stressed by the solution adopted for the façades. Each floor of the building establishes a strong link with the surrounding green landscape through different architectural elements. On the first floor, for example, the pronounced overhang surrounding the building frames panoramic views of the city and its gardens. The building is symmetrically organised around six full-height internal courtyards. In addition to guaranteeing natural lighting for circulation spaces, the presence of courtyards allows a rational distribution of the various functions. Thanks to the courtyards, the volume is divided into four different areas, according to the different functions performed, from offices for the local administration to research facilities and for the regional education system. The building, in fact, is home to the vocational training schools that were previously scattered throughout the city. There are two main public entrances, both serving the two main sectors of interest: the training centre for future artisans and offices that offer services for existing businesses. The two public entrances are located on different levels and connected to each other by a series of representative spaces. From the South side, for example, it is possible to walk through the new Place des Artisans to reach the atrium, where an auditorium and a foyer are located, as well as a large opening overlooking the North terrace. As highlighted by the pictures taken by the three architecture photographers, the elegant lines of the Chambre de Métiers et de l'Artisanat seamlessly interact with the urban fabric and the surrounding landscape. Through its modular and glazed façades, the building reflects the green spaces surrounding it and, at the same time, stands as a new iconic element for the city.

(Agnese Bifulco)

Images courtesy of KAAN Architecten, photo by © Fernando Guerra FG+SG, © Sebastian van Damme, © Antoine Guilhem Ducléon

Project Name: Chambre de Métiers et de l'Artisanat Hauts-De-France
Location: Place des Artisans, CS 12010, 59000 Lille (France)
Architect: KAAN Architecten - PRANLAS-DESCOURS architect & associates
Project team: Christophe Banderier, Delphine Bresson, Louise de Chatellus, Sebastian van Damme, Gustav Ducloz, Paolo Faleschini, Raluca Firicel, Marylene Gallon, Michael Geensen, Renata Gilio, Julie Heathcote-Smith, Kees Kaan, Maud Minault, Hannes Ochmann, Vincent Panhuysen, Fabien Pinault, Ismael Planelles, Jean Pierre Pranlas-Descours, Ana Rivero Esteban, Anne Roullet, Dikkie Scipio, Marianne Seyhan
Client: Chambre de Métiers et de l'Artisanat Hauts-De-France, Lille

Competition: February 2007 – July 2007
Design phase: July 2009 – January 2013
Construction phase: October 2014 – January 2019
Total floor area: 14.800 sqm
Park area: 2 hectars
Building costs: 36.500.000 €
Program: Offices, auditorium, laboratories, classrooms, exhibition spaces, culinary school, hairdressing school, restaurant, public squares and park
Structural advisor: EVP Ingénierie, Paris
Financial advisor: Martin & Guiheneuf, Paris
Installation and Sustainability advisor: Martin & Guiheneuf, Paris
Façade advisor: T/E/S/S atelier d'ingénierie, Paris
Kitchen installation advisor: Creacept restauration, Lezennes
Site work: URBATEC, Bussy-Saint-Georges
Landscape: TN+, Paris


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