La Place Majeure

RBTA’s scheme for the new town of Cergy-Pontoise, northwest of Paris, includes the Place Majeure. At the heart of the north-south axis, named by the team “la rue salon”, the amphitheatre-shaped plaza displays a Palladian-inspired décor with a clear theatrical character.   The plaza‘s radial structure is flanked by two pavilions that act as urban gateways.   The double arcade provides shelter for pedestrians throughout the year.

Inverting the design process, the team defined firstly the void space: the streets and plazas; the voids then led to the definition of the built structures.

This mixed-use scheme ensures maximum program flexibility and permits phased construction to meet the needs and requirements of the new town development. This operation brings together retail area, housing units, offices, a hotel and public facilities.