Anne-Sophie Mazziotta
Fléron – garden city. ULG Liège (Belgium)
The masterplan reinterprets the precepts of a garden city, enacted by Howard 120 years ago. The social housing estate of Fléron, built sixty years later, could be identified as a garden city by its compact area, the land control by the public authority, the low density of buildings and the proximity of the elements necessary for the life of the city. However, Fléron lacks some elements to fully qualify it as a garden city. Sixty years after its creation, the architect's work here consists in identifying the urban shortcomings of this heritage and making them evolve.
The rail network which surrounded a garden city is now thought as the development of soft mobility. The social validation that led the community to decide of a project is rather seen as the development of social cohesion in the city. Finally, the food belt of a garden city is no longer such a concern today and is therefore rethought as a climate belt.
The densification of the housing bars looks after the urban impact in the city. Currently, the bars are low volumes, which have little resonance with the high volumes of the towers, planned in a floating manner. By densifying from above, legitimacy is brought to the location and volume of towers.
The renovation of existing housing is sober, minimal, aiming to improve living conditions by solving elements for better privacy and brightness. Effort is concentrated in adding two floors of housing, with different living environments from the existing ones, promoting a mix of users.
At the entrance, you can enter the night hall or go up to the living area.
The night hall, a clean and low volume, without a line too much.
The bedrooms, functional, just what you need.
Upstairs, a life developed around the terrace, free from any partition.