這個地塊是圣埃蒂安市中心與新的Chateaucreux街區(qū)之間的重要聯(lián)絡(luò)點(diǎn)，形成了一個主要的入口。它也構(gòu)成了將多個政府部門聚集到一起的極點(diǎn)。生活服務(wù)設(shè)施和休閑設(shè)施也是共用企業(yè)餐廳、咖啡廳、市區(qū)旅游局組合的一部分。

這個理念是在地塊上修建一個與相鄰街道相呼應(yīng)的‘連續(xù)體’。直線式建筑自下向上建造，在展現(xiàn)地平線的同時也與其相呼應(yīng)，形成一棟低矮的無障礙建筑——一棟開設(shè)有寬敞的庭院并將粗獷的懸壁結(jié)構(gòu)吊起的建筑。

每一個大隔區(qū)都有一條進(jìn)入路線：主入口面向Grüner大街的廣場開放，吸引行人來到滑動中的項(xiàng)目。高吊頂為這個入口提供遮蓋并將其放大，這是三個入口中最好也是最大的一個入口。另外兩個大‘入口’面對給地塊帶來較大人流量的街道開放本項(xiàng)目，從而將行人在這個區(qū)域內(nèi)的行程連接起來。

我們希望實(shí)現(xiàn)建筑的連續(xù)性，這并不僅僅反映了修建一個清晰可辨的城市地標(biāo)的想法，同時也提供了項(xiàng)目所需的靈活性。事實(shí)上，支持這個連續(xù)體的原則是設(shè)想一個‘連通部分’組合，使用戶管理能夠全部融入一個整體，并根據(jù)與其他租戶的需求相一致的需求發(fā)展。表面沒有任何中斷，將確保事物保持開放式，并且有可能擴(kuò)大或縮小空間面積。

本項(xiàng)目就像是一條巨大的‘阿茲臺克之蛇’。它的身體有三個相同的外表面和一個與眾底面面：銀色透明鱗片皮膚，有光澤但不透明的橙黃色‘喉頭’。

表面的這種雙重處理，都遵守了整個過程中所遵從的簡單邏輯，即在重復(fù)中表達(dá)明確。根據(jù)這些移動，黃色的底面可以是浮動的頂蓋或內(nèi)部豎墻，在充足的燈光條件下，內(nèi)部有行人走動：顏色必須鮮艷、明亮和純凈，以增強(qiáng)地塊內(nèi)的自然光線。這么多美麗的黃色相互接近，使路面和玻璃立面明亮起來；投灑出的金色像陽光一樣散布在上面……這是一個把黃色和灰色、銀色和金色融合到一起的項(xiàng)目，有點(diǎn)像太陽……

事實(shí)上，這種黃色確實(shí)會影響我們所期望的效果，真正輻照到整個環(huán)境。在區(qū)域內(nèi)的任何一處位置，都可以看到面向外部開放的室內(nèi)街道可以捕捉和吸引到的一抹黃色。這種顏色反射在幕墻的玻璃外墻上，進(jìn)而放大，金色光芒在玻璃外墻上形成一道道光暈。室內(nèi)辦公室可以看到暖色的反光體，使反光亮度增加。

The site is a vital liaison point between the centre of Saint-Etienne and the new Chateaucreux neighbourhood, to which it forms a major entranceway. It also constitutes a pole grouping several government bodies. Service and leisure facilities are also part of the mix: shared corporate restaurant, café, tourism bureau for the metropolitan area.The idea is to develop a long built ‘continuum’ on the site to interact with adjacent streets. A linear construction that rears up and unfolds but also hugs the ground line to form a low accessible building - one that opens spacious courts and lifts bold overhangs.

Each of its large bays serves an access route: the main portal opens to the concourse on avenue Grüner, which draws pedestrians into the project in a sliding movement. A high ceiling shelters and magnif i es this entranceway, which is the fi nest and largest of three. The other two large ‘ports’ open the project to the streets that irrigate the lot,interconnecting pedestrian itineraries in the area.

Our desire for continuity in construction does not simply ref l ect the idea of building a legible and unitary urban landmark, it also provides the fl exibility that the project needs. In fact, the principle behind this continuum is to imagine a set of ‘communicating parts’ that enable the user-administrations to merge into a whole, one and all, and to evolve according to their needs in harmony with those of other tenants. The absence of breaks in surfaces will ensure that things remain open-ended, with the possibility of extending or reducing space.

The project is like a large ‘Aztec serpent’ rising on the lot. Its body has three identical outer faces, and an underside that is different: a skin of silvery transparent scales and a bright yellow ‘throat’, shiny and opaque.

This dual treatment of surfaces obeys a simple logic shared throughout, which aims at expressing clarity in folds. Depending on these movements, the yellow underside is either a floating canopy or an interior vertical wall, accompanying internal pedestrian movements with its rich luminous presence: the color has to be vivid, light and pure, to enhance the natural light inside the site. The nearness of so much gorgeous yellow brightens up pavements and glazed elevations; casting golden washes over them like sunlight…This is a project that is about bringing together yellow and grey, silver and gold, and a little bit like a sun…

In fact, this yellow color does have the impact that we had hoped for;it truly radiates throughout the context. From anywhere in the area one can get a glimpse of the yellow interior street that opens up to the exterior, captures and attracts. The color ref l ects and multiplies itself on the glass fa?ades of the curtain walls, haloing them with golden gleams. The inside offces enjoy the warm views on theses ref l ections, their brightness is increased.