Saint Romain Le Puy

The commune of Saint-Romain-Le-Puy has more than 4,000 inhabitants and is part of the Montbrison area under the local housing program approved by the community council on January 20, 2020. It is located between Saint-Etienne and Montbrison and is served by the regional railway line. Its town center is located below a Xth century Roman priory listed as a historic monument. The commune is redeveloping its town center by developing a new hub to the east, linked to the priory and the schools, and by structuring and densifying the axis between the train station and the town center. 
The volcanic peak of the priory constrains urban development in a halo around the perimeter of this relief. The town center is located within this traffic-rich perimeter. The Forez Canal and the railway line, which run parallel to the village, restrict its access at a few crossing points and constitutes an old urban fabric tightly packed into three streets at the heart of a traffic junction. In the town center, the old buildings are located in alignment with three narrow streets concentrating most of the commercial offerings and traffic.This urban environment leads to major problematics:

• A concentration of amenities (train station, village Hall, post office, schools) within a radius of 250meters (3-minute walk) but with a lack of clarity regarding routes through the town center
• A dotted commercial offering along cramped or congested public spaces 
• Discontinuous pedestrian spaces that oblige to use narrow sidewalks to reach the various facility squares (lack of visibility, impossible proximity)
• An omnipresence of parking options that reduces the quality of the route through the town center to the priory.
• A lack of a unifying public space such as a village square 

To address these problematics, Saint Romain Le Puy is realising a revitalisation of its village centre to:

• Improve the visibility of public spaces and offer amenities in the town center to increase footfall and retain the population
• Create a range of housing options in small apartment blocks or grouped individual units.
• Strengthen the amenities and quality of public spaces in the town center
• Improve the clarity of the service and parking plan
• Restore a quality East-West route
• Improve the integration of new buildings
• Offer a programmatic mix: in the range of housing (small collective / individual) and in destinations (shops, services, accommodation)
• Provide facilities and/or public spaces to maintain footfall in the town center

The project aims to ultimately permit the creation of: 

• 54 accommodations, with half of them being dedicated to low-income people (social accomodations). 
• Friendly and new green public spaces will be created with a new city heart consisting of 600m2 of covered hall, 350m2 of vegetated spaces, and 740m2 of mineralized spaces (including children game area, benches, trees, etc.). 
• New shops and new services will be created in the town centre and be easily accessible for elder people by walk. Existing services (schools, bakery, pharmacy, etc.) and the Priory will also benefit of this easier access.  

European Bauhaus

Inclusiveness - The project will permit the creation of 54 accommodations, with half of them being dedicated to low-income people (social accomodations). Friendly and new green public spaces will be created with a new city heart consisting of 600m2 of covered hall, 350m2 of vegetated spaces, and 740m2 of mineralized spaces (including children game area, benches, trees, etc.). New shops and new services will be created in the town centre and be easily accessible for elder people by walk. Existing services (schools, bakery, pharmacy, etc.) and the Priory will also benefit of this easier access.   

Aesthetics - Saint Romain Le Puy is built around a Xth century Roman church classified French historic monument (Priory). In France, surrounding area protection applies to buildings that form a coherent ensemble with a historic monument or that contribute to its conservation or enhancement. Surrounding area protection is a public utility easement whose purpose is the protection, conservation, and enhancement of cultural heritage. Work likely to modify the external appearance of a building, whether built or not (courtyard or garden for example), protected under the surroundings, is subject to prior authorization requiring the agreement of the architects of the buildings of France. The Architects of the buildings of France ensures that the works do not harm the historic monument or its surroundings. They also ensure that the public interest in heritage, architecture, the natural or urban landscape is respected, as well as the quality of the constructions and their harmonious integration into the surrounding environment.

Durability - Selective deconstruction and building materials reemployment (more than 40t), soils depollution, 

Participatory approach - Citizens ad middle school students regularly visit the construction site. Public presentations are realised by the municipality of Saint Romain Le Puy.

Genius Loci

Buildings in Saint Romain Le Puy are traditionnally made with loca terracotta tiles and granite brownstone with rammed earth joints. Windows surroundings, entrance doors, and facades are made with local bricks/brickworks.