2013 Spring Studio, Columbia University

Contemporary societies have become heavily dependent upon mobility for their economic growth. The future metropolis of Bordeaux is no exception. The issue of mobility has grown to be a requirement of Bordeaux’s future metropolitan life in which the development potential increasingly relies on the quality of connections to the various public transportation networks.

In Bordeaux, the construction of the tram system has been at the heart of many developments. The tramway becomes a friendly public infrastructure that blends urban spaces with mixed urban programs in a network that structures the central places.

In Villenave d’Ornon Pont de la Maye, the future extension of tramway along Route de Toulouse creates an opportunity to intensify the land use. As Bordeaux 2030 desires to become a self-sustained metropolitan, we aim to centralize public transportation of tram along Route de Toulouse and peripheries the vehicular circulation which creates a loop around a newly formed community. As a result of this change the tram line becomes a main spine that stitches the disconnected urban fabrics of the Rocade periphery and highlights a new iconic gateway to enter future metropolitan of Bordeaux.

In order to ease accessibility, and reduce the dependency on cars while widening the realm of potential development, a secondary network of cross stitches are introduced. These cross stitches are extensions of existing streets in the adjacent neighborhoods which are rearranged inside the loop and function as pedestrian and bike paths.

As a consequence, the newly established sustainable mobility system raises the land value and acts as a boost for development. This development frames a self-sustained mixed-use community of commercial, residential, recreational and business activities. A new commercial corridor is formed along the central tramway as a continuation of the existing commercial fabric along Route de Toulous. By taking advantage of the dramatic topography and level change along the tramway, the new commercial corridor is designed in a way to blur the landscape into the system. Two tram stops are proposed to stitch the northern part of the vehicular loop to the southern part. As these two tram stops are placed generously within an open space, a new consideration to the social value of public realm is introduced in Bordeaux’s future. A new parking structure is allocated next to the southern tram stop, therefore creates an intermodal transfer hub for commuters travelling from suburban periphery of the CUB to the city center.