Lille Archipelago

A competition was organised by the city of Lille to design the main furniture for the public spaces between Lille Flandre and Lille Europe stations, the central part of the initial OMA masterplan. Today, a brand new public space connects both stations creating a homogeneous sea of grey granite floor. In response to this condition, we propose to consider the furniture as an ARCHIPELAGO of ISLANDS creating moments of public intensities on the evercoveringmineralfield. Sometimes INDIVIDUAL and sometimes COLLECTIVE, the ISLANDS are spread on the public space. Designed as simple typologies calling for daily public uses the furnitureis made of a bleacher, a platform, a seat, a table and an island topped with a smallecosystem. Passers-by and users navigate between the differentstructuring islands, at will and according to theirmoodthey stop and occupythem, somesit down, others drink a coffee around the table, children improvise a show in front of the parents seated on the bleachersorganized in the form of a small theater ... Made of specially conceived colored and polished concrete each typology has its own color and identity. For an easy transport, technical handles are integrated as a part of the design of eachpiece. LILLES ARCHIPEL is an archipelago of intense public islands in the grey condition of our contemporary public space.