The project is located on Nantes’ Island, near the Quartier de la Création, on the François Mitterrand dockside. Between the city that emerges along the dock, the Loire and the wild park of the Mabon Island, the site is the meeting point of built space and nature.
A long field, that stretches up from the Palais de Justice to the Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Nantes, hosts two trees. Exactly in between those two trees that the Footcheball is set, taking advantage of the length and the grass, perfect ground to play on.
Perspective stressed by the rhythm of the wooden structure. The metal mesh offers a transparency: you can see the game from the pedestrian pathway, proposition to stop there on the banks and enjoy the game; the players can see the Loire and enjoy the light from the North, that is spread on the field and get the warm colors of the wooden panels that rig out the North interior facade.
The project takes advantage of the characteristics of the site and reveals them, and it is simply put down on the field. In fact, it is set on light foundations, Krinner metal screwed in the ground, and the whole construction was prefabricated in a workshop.
The structure is composed of nine timber framework porticos, eight wooden chambers for the façade and eight for the roof set in between. These chambers were prefabricated in a workshop, ensuring this way the control of the details, of the assembly, and guaranteeing a noiseless constructing site.
The South facade, covered with a thickness of thatch of average 28 cm, brings a protection to the players against the sun and hot weather. Solar mask reinforced by the trees, one at each end of the Chaum-Room. The North facade offers light and ventilation, as well as the sights.
Footcheball, Quai François Mitterrand, Nantes, France
Program: playground
Architects: Agence Guinée*Potin Architectes
Design Team: Anne-Flore Guinée et Hervé Potin architects; Florian Carré in charge of the project
Engineering: ECSB (wooden structure)
Building Companies: Cruard, Le Goff
Client: Le Voyage A Nantes
Area: 60 sqm
Completion: 2014