Stepped buildings aligned on the street, active and varied roofs, a southern opening onto the landscape, and inhabited inner courtyards. A+Architecture and Hellin Sebbag Pirany architectes delivered So Wood in Montpellier (France) in 2024. 105 homes, 5 SOHOs, offices and shops.Surface area: 10,300 sq. metres (net floor area). Budget: €18m.

Context

An emblematic urban development project in the Montpellier metropolitan area, the Port Marianne district stems from an ambitious vision to extend the city towards the sea. To the west, on the banks of the Lez, the Port Marianne ZAC, developed by A+Architecture, marked the first step in this significant urban project.

To the east, on the banks of the Lironde, the République ZAC designed by Nicolas Michelin represents the culmination, both physically and temporally, of this city extension towards the Mediterranean. It will extend beyond its boundaries by organizing the southern entrance of Montpellier and creating a new urban facade that is clearly visible from major national and international transportation infrastructures (A709, A9, and the high-speed rail line).

Due to its location along Avenue Raymond Dugrand, a major public space that connects the four operational sectors of the Port Marianne district, Lot E2 enjoys a unique position. It forms one of the twelve "neighborhood units" of the ZAC, innovatively accommodating a diverse mix of uses: active ground floors, offices, housing, workshops, and shared facilities. Figure of the dense and sustainable city, this lot supports contemporary architecture adapted to the Mediterranean climate and local living style.

The creation of an internal topography for each neighborhood unit, based on integrated (non-underground) parking, allows the formation of terraced inner courtyards oriented to the south with views of the "grand landscape." The architects from both agencies have effortlessly embraced the concept of the République ZAC, whose humanistic approach immediately captivated them.