Development of the left bank quaysides of the Sambre in Charleroi

Programme: Full development of the left bank, to transform it in a shared space, with construction of a footbridge

About: The project is developed as a shared space, mainly dedicated to recreation and soft mobility, it does allow vehicle access, but only at low speed (20km/h) and for a local use. It replaces the former 19th avenue lined with plane trees, by a series of urban and landscape sequences, separate by their character and the type of use they offer: Vegetable pockets treated as shady groves, multiple seating areas, giant swing and entertaining space shaped as a small heap, solarium with sun loungers area, bus parking near the hotel and great esplanade opposite the train station, where cafés will take place. Below the quay, a reinterpretation of towpath reconstructs the missing link of the cycling promenade network passing along the water and extending beyond the borders of the city. Perpendicularly, at the center of the docks, fits a footbridge crossing the River. It widens to form a new public space, suspended above the water, which can host outdoor cultural events. This new work of art is renamed "placerelle" to account for its hybrid nature between infrastructure and public space. From the train station, the new development of the quays underlines the visage of the city. The white concrete of the floor, as the transparency of foliage and punctuation of voids reveal the clarity of the facades of the city of the 19th century. Between the white facades and magnitude of releases, the new face of the city on its southern flank is designed to capture the light.