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Text description provided by the architects. Located in the heart of Villeurbanne’s Mansart district—an area with a rich industrial heritage—M45 presents a bold, contemporary vision of the Productive City. This innovative project serves as a bridge between the city’s industrial past and the evolving needs of modern urban spaces, seamlessly integrating commercial and production areas in a dynamic, multi-use environment.
Rather than erasing history, M45 embraces and revitalizes it. Designed as a tribute to Villeurbanne’s industrial legacy, the building preserves key architectural elements while introducing a forward-thinking approach to urban functionality. Its hybrid structure merges the characteristics of a former industrial hangar with a refined, modern aesthetic, ensuring that history is not only acknowledged but celebrated in every detail of its construction.
M45 is conceived as a compact building, structured into three primary volumes with a minimal core. This layout optimizes space by mutualizing emergency exits, which are integrated into external walkways. These pathways create a distinct visual rhythm in the delivery courtyards, while opening up sightlines at the heart of the block. Beyond enhancing accessibility and circulation, this design fosters programmatic flexibility, allowing the building to accommodate a diverse mix of uses, from commercial and educational activities, to residential and production spaces.
Designed with adaptability in mind, M45 offers reversible spaces that can evolve alongside its users’ needs. The building’s flexible architecture allows for easy reconfigurations, ensuring long-term viability across different functions. At the ground and first floors, small artisan workshops provide space for local craft and production, while the upper levels house offices and commercial units—both of which can be repurposed for alternative uses as demands shift over time.
Defined by an essentialist architectural approach, M45 embodies a refined simplicity that prioritizes both function and form. The building’s subdivision into smaller units facilitates direct access to the core of the block, encouraging permeability and connectivity. Each volume features a streamlined circulation core, complemented by interconnecting walkways that enhance movement and interaction, creating a dynamic, interconnected urban space.
Beyond its architectural innovation, M45 integrates harmoniously into the existing urban landscape, reinforcing the area’s creative economy. By fostering small-scale production within the city, the project promotes a more compact, efficient urban model, where diverse functions coexist and complement one another.
More than just a building, M45 stands as a testament to how intelligent design can honor history while embracing the future. By offering adaptable, reversible spaces within an essentialist framework, it redefines industrial heritage for contemporary needs. As a model of sustainable urban revitalization, M45 demonstrates how architecture can serve as a conduit between past and present, breathing new life into industrial landscapes, while shaping the cities of tomorrow.
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