The site of the former ENSM (Ecole Nationale Supérieure Maritime), in its urban scale, is a real anchor point, a place that aspires to become a stopover between the cliffs, the promenade du Cap and the surrounding urban fabric.
It is in this very particular context, between nature and urbanity, that we plan to offer a new neighborhood life to the Plateau de la Hève, by creating a flexible and dynamic "village square", associated with a park conducive to calm and contemplation, a true refuge of local biodiversity.
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The ENSM has always played a considerable role in the assertion of Le Havre vis-à-vis its territory. In 2014, the school changed premises and deserted the complex imagined by Roger Hummel. Leading building of the university complex, the boarding school -- which has accompanied the daily life of many inhabitants -- has important contextual and constructive qualities to be affirmed through its rehabilitation. Our project aims to adapt to these existing culture and heritage and to imagine a new architectural identity for a place that has contributed to the reputation of a city and its region.
Finding the right balance between the memory of the past and our contemporary issues, making history resonate through new and current ideas, these were our intentions when designing this project.
We wish to write a new chapter in the history of this mixed fabric so that modernity and the sustainable aspect take on their full meaning, a place of expression to find an harmonious balance between the city and its natural spaces, between human and nature.
The major asset of this place is its geographical position: high up, dominating the Dionysian beaches to the South, the wild coast to the West and the surrounding urban fabric. From the Batterie de Dollemard to Saint-Joseph Church, the views seem endless.
It is thanks to these non-negligeable qualities that the project will offer views at different levels to all users, permanent residents as well as occasional passers-by, in order to offer a new perception of the power and beauty of Cap de la Hève while highlighting the fragility of its natural heritage.