Vinet square is a prototype conceived and built under the landscape guidelines established for the city of Bordeaux. It was one of the small, residual spaces often found in many old cities. The challenge consisted in imparting a large sense of quality to what was previously no more than an infill site which, in addition, faces directly north. We therefore proposed the creation of a green wall designed by the botanist and artist Patrick Blanc. The result is a veritable jewel, made up of plant species perfectly adapted to the square's orientation and exposure. Without the fragility of plants in a window box, it provides an enormous plant presence.
The rest of the square was renovated with the maximum use of simplicity and purity, organized around a gigantic sandbox. The objective was to provide children with the opportunity to give free reign to their imaginations, in contrast to the commercially produced toys usually provided. Not many cities would have accepted this choice, which was both an aesthetic and ethical one.
City of Bordeaux
MDP Michel Desvigne Paysagiste
Patrick Blanc, Botanist
1 500 m2 (16 000 sq ft)