In terms of composition, an elementary geometry influenced by the large courtyards of the Renaissance, modified within the surrounding architecture, was used as the basis for the design of Célestins Square. This set the tone for a necessarily restrained intervention. There is an implicit rigor and precision within the fundamental geometric outlines.

The various spots making up the wider square concentrically fit together: the area where the roads stemming from the outskirts converge, the square in front of the theater marked off by two steps, and the wood-floored garden, highlighted by its setting of rhododendrons, magnolias, and water. This interlocking of functions and places serves in defining a typology of public space both unique and contemporary, an intermediate typology where the openness of a square and the intimacy and charm of a garden are reconciled. One of the major aspects of the project lies in the luxuriance of the rhododendrons and magnolias. From their simple configuration there emanates a great wealth of textures, flowerings, colors, and scents.