Winter gardens in an office building

Present and future redevelopment projects in the Marne/Saint-Jean neighborhood of Bordeaux aim to weave together the area’s peripheral and industrial urban fabric, shaped by the city’s MIN wholesale market. The Îlot des Mareyeurs project creates a building complex with a business base on the ground floor and office space on the upper floors.

A miniature woodland brings to life the entrance to the office space. Here, a garden bursts with tall and dense greenery, highlighting the office entrance from the street while showcasing the building’s architecture. Planting composition largely comprises evergreen species, accompanied by a rich mix of flowers and colors that change with the seasons. The space is transformed into a miniature woodland – a living environment filled with layer upon layer of lush and diverse vegetation. A concrete border frames the woodland garden, designed to meet movement and accessibility needs while uniting the flourishing greenery with the crisp lines of the architecture.

Five on-structure winter gardens bloom outdoors, in the large recesses formed by the building.These winter gardens are densely planted with a wide variety of species. Planting composition varies slightly from garden to garden to better match each one to its unique climate conditions, accounting for factors like temperature and exposure. Each garden is framed by a pathway surfaced in high-quality concrete. These pathways form both meeting points and buffer zones between the architecture and planted spaces.

 Gravel pathways crisscross the larger northeast and southwest winter gardens. Here and there, these pathways are widened to create inviting spaces.