The Quai de Brazza, despite being destined for cars, was always envisioned as a densely planted roadway, an integral part of the Parc aux Angéliques opening out to the area’s new neighborhoods.

The Quai de Brazza is a 2.5-kilometer roadway that runs from east to west along the right bank of the Garonne River, an area of Bordeaux experiencing significant transformation. This heavily-frequented roadway connects the Parc aux Angéliques in the north to the future neighborhoods of Brazza and Bastide-Niel in the south.

The Parc aux Angéliques, a prelude to the ongoing changes in this new Bordelais area, was designed with long-term planting management in mind. The park is a space of “intermediate nature,” evolving alongside the expansive surrounding area as each empty surface is quickly filled with greenery.

The vegetation along the Quai de Brazza is not camouflage for an undesirable road, but rather a natural extension of the Parc aux Angéliques. The planting composition replicates that of the park, itself inspired by the banks of the Garonne. Various species of large forest trees are arranged in rows and groupings, offering dappled shade along the length of the road. A layer of greenery blankets the tree beds in blooming flowers or grassy lawns. Hardscape elements are made with materials commonly found in Bordeaux, already in use throughout the area.

The road is narrowed, creating more space for both pedestrians and the generous bike path (part of Bordeaux’s REVE network). Further broken up with safer and easier-to-use crosswalks, further broken up with safer and easier-to-use crosswalks, the calmer road still leaves room for traffic. Multiple modes of transportation coexist here, offering visitors different experiences of the neighborhoods and the surrounding city. The Quai de Brazza is divided into three different sections according to the environment and the space available for the project. While each has unique characteristics, together they form a coherent landscape.

This reimagined space along the Quai de Brazza becomes the sustainable thread that weaves together the park and the new neighborhoods beyond it, creating a green ensemble. Rows of trees planted perpendicularly to the river run through the Brazza neighborhood. In harmony with the built environment, these offshoots of the park trace plots of land throughout the neighborhood and line its streets.