The days when the sustainability of a construction project was a matter of ad hoc measures are over – sustainable construction has become systematic and specific. This was emphatically shown by the results of the Holcim Awards in region Europe: The first prize was shared by two projects in Brussels, both of which excel in terms of their multi-functionality.

A wide array of sporting facilities is brought under one roof within this project in Bordeaux. The structure is an architecture of reduction to minimal means. Only restaurants and shops on the lower levels are enclosed within a façade. The rest of the reinforced concrete structure is mediated by just a braided mesh enclosure that acts as a shading device, windbreak, and ball-catcher without the need for large mechanical systems. This reduction is not only aesthetic. By minimizing heating and cooling costs, the architecture contributes to the project’s aim of providing low-cost access to sports for all.

Ethical standards and social inclusion – People

Sports equals all: Our project is not only a constructed object; it represents a balance between various and complementary contingencies: an urban project, an architectural will, but above all a program for all. From conception, we have integrated UCPA, to promote openness and accessibility. Together, we are committed to a shared, social and united use. As such, they practice low tariffs close to municipal facilities and therefore are accessible to all. The building will not only be used by the residents but also by scholars from the schools situated on the right bank of the Garonne River. In addition, UCPA, which is an established multigenerational organization, has set up a pedagogical partnership with youths alongside WWF for the protection of species and their natural environment.