East of the Flaubert district in Rouen begins its metamorphosis with a 1st exemplary sustainable urban development project

A true urban reconquest project, this ambitious operation initiated by the developer Rouen Normandie Aménagement and developed by Linkcity Grand Ouest with its partners TVK, AZ Architects and OLM Paysages, combines environmental excellence and social and intergenerational diversity.

Its objective: to contribute positively to the quality of life of the territory and to offer by 2023 a new place of life placed under the sign of good living together and ecological transition. The first phase of the work, carried out by Bouygues Bâtiment Grand Ouest, concerns the creation of 256 housing units, 9.000 m² of offices, 300 m² of shops, 600 m² of inter-company restaurants, organized around landscaped areas promoting biodiversity and the quality of life of the inhabitants.

A large consultation in progress to draw the contours of the western fringe and the surroundings of the future canal of the Rouen Flaubert district

Since October 2020, the Rouen Normandie Métropole has been leading a major consultation process around the western part of the Flaubert district. The population is thus invited to reflect on the evolutions of a major project which will materialize the city of tomorrow and to imagine together the development of the future canal. Several discussion times and several tools are thus offered to allow everyone to give their opinion and propose ideas. An opportunity to contribute to the development of a project which must reconcile two priorities: resilience (technological risk, floods) and social-ecological transition.

"L'Éveil de Flaubert": a real estate program to the east of the Flaubert district favoring social and intergenerational diversity

Close to the city center, “L'Eveil de Flaubert” which extends over a 1,6 hectare site between avenue Jean Rondeaux and rue François Depeaux and rue Niki de Saint-Phalle, benefits from a privileged location near the Seine offering a panoramic view of the city and its surroundings. Starting point for the reconquest of the city towards the West, “L'Éveil de Flaubert” reflects the desire of the Rouen Normandy Metropolis to offer an exemplary sustainable urban development model. Entrusted to Linkcity Grand Ouest, present in the region for more than 30 years, this large-scale real estate operation, one of the most important in the metropolis in recent years, summarizes the values ​​of Linkcity: a reduced ecological footprint, a priority given for uses through the involvement of local actors and citizens, a project rooted in its territory, at the service of well-being and well-living together, to help build the city of tomorrow.

Linkcity and its architectural partners TVK, AZ Architects and OLM Paysages, have designed a new living space that promotes diversity: urban diversity with a program combining homes, offices, shops, services and gardens; social and intergenerational diversity with a range of housing including senior citizens' residences, social, intermediate and first-time rental housing.

The project is planned in 2 phases, the first of which, launched in January 2021, will run until the end of 2023. The arrival of the 3 cranes this month launches the structural work of this first phase. It concerns the creation of 26.000 m² of floor space:

• A seniors' residence with 92 apartments managed by Réside Etudes;
• 30 social rental housing units for the social landlord Rouen Habitat;
• 40 intermediate rental units for CDC Habitat;
• 94 home ownership homes, including 84 home ownership homes marketed by Sogeprom and iSelection and 10 homes that will be sold through home ownership at controlled prices;
• An office building in R + 7 of approximately 9 m²;
• Shops located on the ground floor of the buildings.

The gardens of “L'Eveil de Flaubert”

These different buildings will be organized around gardens with plant structures adapted to uses and in harmony with the surrounding public spaces. The fruit of a reflection on the place of nature in the city and the protection of biodiversity, these landscaped areas, where mainly local species will be found (78% of the trees planted will come from the Seine or Normandy basin) will be distributed in 3 types of public or private spaces: the Leila Alaoui alley, a public space constituting a visual breakthrough in the heart of the district; the Martha Graham Square, a semi-private mall arranged between the tertiary buildings and the apartment buildings. These will also accommodate 2 shared vegetable gardens and red fruit hedges; and the hearts of islets, intimate and contemplative gardens intended for the inhabitants. A rainwater management system has also been designed to supply the planted areas with water.

An operation aimed at environmental excellence

Linkcity is committed to developing projects contributing to the ecological transition of territories in order to jointly build healthy and sustainable cities with its customers, partners and residents. “L'Eveil de Flaubert” illustrates this approach and echoes the Metropolis' desire to reduce its ecological footprint and promote changes in behavior and practices. Thus, the real estate complex has been designed to meet these challenges. For optimal performance, various technical solutions will be deployed: the use of biobased materials, with a large part given to wood material, optimized energy consumption thanks to the connection of homes to a metropolitan urban heating network system, and the use of geothermal energy for tertiary buildings.

The program aims in this sense of multiple environmental labels:

• All buildings, residential and tertiary, aim to achieve the performance level BEPOS Effinergie 2017 and E3 of the Energy Carbon label, ahead of the regulations in force.

These labels attest to exemplary performance in terms of sobriety and energy efficiency, with reinforced requirements on bioclimatic design and energy consumption; of quality and comfort.

• Commercial buildings are also aiming for the BBCA label, which attests to the exemplary nature of the approach to reducing the carbon footprint;
• The tertiary building of the first phase also aims to obtain BREEAM certification at VERY GOOD level, the certification most used in Europe and recognized internationally.

Finally, Linkcity Grand Ouest opted for this project for the environmental labeling of Bouygues Construction called TOPSITE. Resulting from demanding national regulations, this label guarantees that the works, carried out by Bouygues Bâtiment Grand Ouest, are carried out with the greatest respect for the safety of people, the environment and local residents (optimal management of water and waste, reduction of noise and vibration pollution, cleanliness of the site and its surroundings, etc.). Residents will also be notified in the event of a disturbance.

Focus on the development of the local timber industry

Illustrating a real synergy between the Rouen Normandy metropolis, Linkcity, the WeWood expertise center of Bouygues Bâtiment France Europe, the Bouygues Bâtiment Grand Ouest and Manubois teams, a pilot project will be deployed on the first tertiary building of “L ' Eveil de Flaubert “. This consists of the implementation of a constructive innovation: glued laminated beech wood in a structure made from local beech by Manubois, a subsidiary of the Lefebvre group, established in the Big Sales (76). The company mainly obtains its supplies from the forests of Seine Maritime, exploiting resources within a radius of around 50 km. Around 70 posts, or 36 m3 of glued laminated beech, will be installed on this 9 m000 office building, supporting the concrete floors. Made by Manubois from local beech wood, this project helps develop the use of bio-based materials and structure the local wood industry, while paving the way for new construction methods.