Manufacture

Design and Development

The urban master plan for La Manufacture is based on a clear spatial composition of buildings, squares, circulation routes, and landscape zones. The existing morphology of the historic industrial complex serves as the foundation for the new development. New building volumes build upon the rhythm, orthogonal layout, and varied scale of the existing structures, creating a strong coherence between old and new.

The public realm is organized around a clearly defined podium that visibly positions La Manufacture at the heart of the site. This podium connects the various buildings and outdoor spaces and gradually transitions from Rue du Grand-Pré into the surrounding landscape. Stairs, retaining walls, green embankments, and informal pathways create a smooth transition between the urban environment and nature.

On the western side, an ensemble of articulated volumes forms a distinctive urban frontage towards Avenue du Chablais and the Galicia viaduct. On the eastern side, more landscape-oriented ensembles emerge, connecting to the ecological zone and creating a variety of intermediate spaces for recreation, social interaction, and movement. Through variations in building heights, sightlines, and public spaces, the development achieves a human scale and fosters a vibrant urban environment.

Use and social function

Manufacture will become a mixed urban district where education, culture, housing, and everyday amenities come together. The extension of La Manufacture will enhance the visibility and accessibility of the dance and theatre school while creating opportunities for interaction, experimentation, and cultural exchange.

The central urban square will serve as the public heart of the district. Around the square, functions such as an organic market, co-working spaces, cafés and restaurants, commercial amenities, hotel lobbies, and residential entrances will be located. This mix of programs will create a vibrant urban environment that remains active throughout the day.

Between La Manufacture and the new residential ensemble lies a dynamic neighborhood square where students, residents, and visitors can meet and interact. Informal seating areas, mature trees, and flexible public spaces will accommodate everyday encounters, small-scale events, sports, and cultural activities. Throughout the district, opportunities will emerge for rehearsals, performances, and experimentation in direct relation to the city and public realm.

The area is designed as a comfortable environment for pedestrians and cyclists, with routes and public spaces providing strong connections to the surrounding neighborhoods. In this way, Manufacture will evolve into an open and inclusive urban district where culture and everyday city life are closely intertwined.

La Manufacture at the center

The new La Manufacture will become larger, more central, and more open—both literally and figuratively. Students, visitors, and faculty will benefit from enhanced opportunities within and around the building, while related developments will merge into a coherent ensemble of buildings and outdoor spaces.

The extension and restructuring are expressed through a paved carpet that begins in the new communal space on Rue du Grand-Pré and extends to a series of low walls and sloping edges integrated into the embankment.

Embraced by greenery

The ambition to create an ecological landscape east of the development area serves as both the inspiration and the foundation for developing the site as an eco-district. The landscape qualities of the ecological zone extend along both the northern and southern edges of the site.

The flower-rich dry meadows in the south and the park-like shrub landscape in the north converge along the new Rue du Grand-Pré, where landscape and urban life meet.

Pivot points in the urban fabric

The new Manufacture connects with its surroundings through public and semi-public spaces that open up towards the city. In surprising and inspiring locations nearby, students can rehearse, experiment, perform, take a break, and continuously rediscover their relationship with the city.

The area is designed for comfortable use by cyclists and pedestrians. Two key pivot points emerge on the eastern and western sides, strengthening connections with the city and surrounding neighbourhoods — physically, programmatically, and visually.

Landscape, sustainability and climate adaptation

The plan for Manufacture features a gradual transition from the urban dynamism in the west to a tranquil ecological zone in the east. The landscape structure therefore serves as a key carrier of the area’s identity. The ecological zone consists of park-like spaces, flower-rich meadows, and natural waterfront edges that connect seamlessly with the surrounding green networks. Variations in topography, informal pathways, and robust planting create a diverse landscape in which nature and human use are carefully balanced. Rainwater is captured and infiltrated locally through green planting beds, swales, and elevated landscape features.

The landscape accommodates a variety of activities, including sports, social interaction, urban agriculture, and recreation. At the same time, the green areas enhance biodiversity, provide cooling, and support water retention throughout the site. Informal routes and places to linger encourage interaction between residents, students, and the surrounding landscape.

The design of the public realm reflects the sustainable and collective character of the neighbourhood. Shared spaces, green gathering areas, and climate-adaptive measures contribute to a healthy and future-proof living environment where urban life and nature come together naturally.

Process and collaboration

The urban development plan for Manufacture provides the spatial framework for the further development of the area surrounding La Manufacture and Rue du Grand-Pré. The plan brings together the ambitions to create a new cultural urban district where education, urban life, and ecology reinforce one another.

The vision offers an integrated framework for architecture, public space, mobility, and landscape. In collaboration with all stakeholders, the area will be developed in phases into a cohesive and vibrant urban district with a strong cultural identity.