Gray : Lycée Fertet – Revamp of the Boichut building / square

Whilst the Général Boichut Square is part of a network of public spaces in the town there is a limited offer of open spaces in the upper parts of the town.  In this context the renovation of the General Boichut Square provides an opportunity to provide new uses in the area. The project is an opportunity to highlight and frame the historic facade of the Fertet Lycée. A product of military architecture, historically used by the cavalry, the exterior spaces of this area function conjointly. The Boichut building has two facades; the Place d’armes and the courtyard. Today however, these spaces no longer function efficiently. The project is about re-distinguishing a sense of unity between the Boichut building and its immediate surroundings; to reconfigure the programming of these spaces.

The creation of a parvis and the removal of the road running past the Boichut building encourages pedestrians to reappropriate the square making the entrance to the building more accessible and secure. In a later stage, the material of the parvis will be spread out over the whole of the square and its surroundings, creating a coherent entity and permitting the installation of new facilities (including seating, shelters and petanque) in front of the establishment. Coherency is also found in the inner courtyard of the lycée; the composition of the facade is accentuated by a large pedestrian area with integrated parking on one side. The perimeter of the square is modified in order to give back more space to pedestrian circulation and flow.