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Title
Caen, Grâce de Dieu neighborhood
Sous-titre
Project to refurbish the Langevin building, its housing stock and base, and the development of adjacent public spaces
Region(s)
Normandie
Name of the priority urban neighborhood (population)
Quartier de la Grâce de Dieu, 4 099 hab.
Département(s)
Calvados
Contracting authority
Caen la Mer Habitat
Name of the municipality (population)
Caen, 108 200 hab.
Titre
Caen, quartier Grâce de Dieu | Quartiers de demain
Video
Titre
1. A neighborhood within an area
Texte

Location 

The Grâce de Dieu neighborhood, located at the southern edge of Caen, is one of the five neighborhoods in the Caen-la-Mer urban community designated as a priority area under city policy. It is fully integrated into the Caen urban area and connected by a tram line linking the city center to Fleury-sur-Orne.

History

The Grâce de Dieu neighborhood is emblematic of the large post-War construction programs in France to meet growing housing needs. When the construction of 1,100 units was decided in 1957, the city had not yet completed its reconstruction, and many Caen residents still lived in barracks. Built on the site of the Chaussin Farm, the neighborhood extended to Rue Lechatellier. Following the War, part of the future neighborhood hosted a German PoW camp until 1947, with prisoners used in the city’s clearance operations.

Construction of the neighborhood was entrusted to architects H. Delacroix, A. Bataille, M. Clot, J. Richard and R. Auchapt from 1961 to 1964, with the first residents arriving in 1962 and the shopping center completed at the end of the project. Renovation programs began in the 1980s, and in 2005, demolition of the Grand Laperrine building marked the start of a major urban renewal initiative. The area is strategically located at the city’s entrance and boasts significant amenities, including the Sports field space, which provides sports and recreational facilities at the intercommunal and regional level.

Images
Map of neighborhood location

Map of neighborhood location

Aerial photo of the neighborhood from 1962

Aerial photo of the neighborhood from 1962

Map showing the location of the neighborhood

Map showing the location of the neighborhood

Titre
2. The current urban project
Texte

Orientations

The Grâce de Dieu neighborhood underwent an urban renewal program under an ANRU agreement from 2006 to 2015. The initial master plan, developed by Gilles Sabarros, set directions focused on improving accessibility to the neighborhood through a redesign of the roads network, renovating part of the existing housing stock, enhancing the residential quality of social and private housing, and diversifying the housing supply with new types and urban forms to support social diversity goals. The urban project also strengthened commercial functions and public services around a defined central area.

Diagram architecture updated the master plan in 2012–2013 to establish a medium-to-long-term vision for the neighborhood, targeting new project areas: the Lavigerie site, the Robillard-Foucher site, and the Langevin site. Since then, the City of Caen's services and their partners have regularly adjusted this master plan to address the evolving needs identified in the neighborhood.

Today, the Langevin site provides an opportunity to further these directions and implement them in the northeastern part of the neighborhood, which has not experienced the same level of transformation as the rest of Grâce de Dieu.

Progress report

The urban renewal program implemented from 2005 to 2018 led to major initiatives that restructured the urban fabric, such as the creation of Avenue Michel Crépeau in the north, and the extension of Avenue Laperrine towards the neighboring town of Fleury-sur-Orne. Notably, the Place du Commerce was entirely redesigned, with the revitalization of its commercial center and the development of a new range of services, including the construction of Caen’s first health center, completed in 2010. In terms of housing, almost all social housing units were renovated. Additionally, 539 social housing units were demolished, outweighed by the construction of 845 new homes, including 269 social rental units scheduled for completion by 2026. The project also fostered the development of the Fresnel business park (with companies such as Webhelp, Pôle Emploi, and other office and trade units) and established a biomass heating plant to supply the Caen Sud heating network.

To continue enhancing the living environment in Grâce de Dieu, new actions are being planned. Regarding housing, considerations include the rehabilitation and exterior redesign of social housing in the Rue Armand Marie area, the planning of social rental housing for seniors at the Petit Collin site, and the development of home-ownership opportunities in the Robillard Foucher and Lavigerie blocks. Plans also include the demolition and reconstruction of the Vieira Da Silva school and greening initiatives for the esplanade Malraux.

Images
Aerial photo of the site for consideration

Aerial photo of the site for consideration

Urban project master plan

Urban project master plan

Titre
3. The project put to the teams
Texte

The project site

The Langevin building, situated in the northern part of the Grâce de Dieu neighborhood, is bordered by Rue Sir Alexander Fleming to the north, Rue Paul Langevin to the east, and Rue Albert Einstein to the south. The Langevin building currently suffers from a significant image deficit compared to the social housing residences to the west, which were completed in the early 2010s. This eight-story building, completed in 1963, currently has 107 two- and three-bedroom apartments distributed across three stairwells, with a total living area of 6,834m2. A relocation plan for the residents of Langevin is underway, with approximately 50% of the units currently vacant.

Initial ideas for programming

Caen-la-Mer Habitat aims to develop a variety of housing options in the Langevin building to meet multiple current needs within the conurbation: small housing units, housing for seniors, young professionals, students, and home-ownership units. The goal is to design an intergenerational residence offering multiple housing possibilities, with shared services that foster social connections and enhance the neighborhood’s vitality.

Additionally, partners seek to integrate ground-floor activities by adding functions that complement the nearby shopping center (service units, offices, etc.). Repurposing part of the building for business activities aims to create a new focal point in the northern section of the priority urban neighborhood.

The Langevin refurbishment also includes rethinking the open spaces surrounding the building, creating a coherent land base to anchor this complex within the urban fabric. While public spaces, including Rue Einstein and Rue Saint-André, were redesigned as part of the Urban Renewal Program (PRU), the base of the Langevin building was handled rather summarily. Rue Sainte-Cécile was closed and converted into a pedestrian promenade to improve the surrounding living environment. Landscaping is also underway for the Malraux esplanade and around the church.

The ambitions of the project

The restructuring of the Langevin building offers a sustainable alternative to the initially proposed demolition, which was deemed too environmentally costly. The aim is to transform outdated, energy-intensive apartments into high-quality, high-performance housing comparable to new construction. This project aligns with a broader environmental transition strategy targeting carbon neutrality (Net Zero Emissions). First, Caen-la-Mer Habitat plans to involve the local construction industry by favoring bio-sourced materials and those from the circular economy (reuse).

The building's future operations must also focus on minimizing greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption. One goal of the restructuring is to achieve an A environmental rating, as the building is currently rated D. A bioclimatic design for the building envelope is essential. Maintaining the Langevin building’s connection to the eco-responsible neighborhood heating network (70% biomass) will be a priority, with an option for photovoltaic energy production to achieve self-sufficiency.

The objective is to model a replicable renovation project that is feasible both technically and economically.

Additionally, there is a strong emphasis on biodiversity development (insects, birds). Creating private outdoor spaces for apartments and/or partially greening the existing building, as well as rethinking the building’s surroundings, can help achieve this goal.

Finally, continuing the participatory approach initiated by the social housing provider and their partners is essential. The aim is to engage all potential stakeholders to generate ideas, propose solutions, and mobilize the necessary operational tools and funding for this innovative project.

 

Images
Aerial photo of the project site

Aerial photo of the project site

Aerial photo of the site for intervention

Aerial photo of the site for intervention

Images
The Langevin building from Rue Albert Einstein

The Langevin building from Rue Albert Einstein

The Langevin building from Rue Paul Langevin

The Langevin building from Rue Paul Langevin

The Langevin building from Avenue Michel Crépeau

The Langevin building from Avenue Michel Crépeau

The adjacent green space to the west

The adjacent green space to the west

The building’s entrance hall

The building’s entrance hall

Titre
Questions put to the designers during dialogue
Texte

• How can the residential building model be reinterpreted for a renewed architectural image with replicable renovation techniques on this type of heritage? 
• How can a diverse, attractive housing offer be created to meet the needs of young professionals, seniors, and first-time buyers in this part of the urban area? With which complementary services? 
• What services and activities should be developed in the Langevin base to support local job creation and economic growth in a priority urban neighborhood? 
• How can the Langevin renovation serve as a low-carbon model for the region (reuse, energy efficiency, renewable energy, bio-based materials…)? 
• How can the renovation of the Langevin building be made into a showcase renovation for 1960s apartment blocks by developing a financial model that is compatible with the production of affordable housing units tailored to needs?
• How can biodiversity be maximized within a renovation framework with cost-effective, low-maintenance solutions? 

Images
 CLMH_site_0

CLMH_site_0

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