NÎMES LGV : Multimodal urban hub
Competition dialogue
Urban study
Metropolitan positioning
Agricultural park
Roman culture
NRP
Client :
Nîmes Métropole
BASE
+ François Leclercq urbanistes + FGP + EGIS+ Sophie Simonet Consultante + Saville
Nîmes / Languedoc – Roussillon
Surface area / 150 ha
Study / 2014
Territorial study / 2015-2016
The creation of the TGV station on the Nimes-Beaucaire axis provides an opportunity to open the nimoise agglomeration out towards the Rhone and to consolidate its position in the Mediterranean Ark.
The Via Domitia is the backbone of the territorial roman natural park which is both rich in landscape and culture. This park is the basis for the territorial project which starts from the Nimes Costière station. Here, we need to consider how to diversify and change the way we live and how to address the issue of residential and agricultural densification whilst keeping in continuation with the villages, the agricultural land and the wider landscape. Agricultural land, its logics and plotlines are part of an economic innovative approach to the master plan: Agriculture is a lever for the project.
This agricultural park project began with real groundwork; an exploration into opportunities for land exchange. Considering both the needs of farmers and the urban project, the parcels of land are rearranged in the most appropriate way possible. Alongside the preserved agricultural park a management process for the urban-rural interface is established,to help confront town/nature friction. This led to a landscape code which helps encourage collaboration between farmers and residents. This agricultural park, which links the tourist hub and the landscapes of the Costières, will prefigure the NRP by gradually bringing together a dense network of leisure, wine, landscape and gastronomical tours as well as other cultural events.