Rochefort Square

Project: Rochefort Square
Architect: Atelier Paysage

Momentary association

LRArchitectes

Programme: Renovation of the Amicale Square and extension of the tourist office in Rochefort

About: The square occupies a central place in the city of Rochefort due to its position within the landscape framework and its capacity to host multiple urban activities.
Over the years, the square has become inward-looking; the aging infrastructure, accumulation of various urban elements, and increasing usage pressures have diminished the clarity and identity of this unique public space.

The project aims to requalify this site as a central, welcoming, and identity-defining public square in the city.
It also seeks to reopen a visual window onto the landscape, and to restore symbolic, physical, and visual connections to the Parc des Roches and the Lomme River.

A new public reception building will be established along the street, extending from the former Hôtel des Roches.
Between the continuous street façades, the project emphasizes the openness of the space to draw people in and create a sense of place.

Around the large plane tree, the esplanade radiates toward the street, linking to the church, the town hall, and the cultural center—contributing to urban vitality. On the park side, like a belvedere, it offers new views and experiences of the river, the plain, and the natural contours of the landscape.

Between the upper street and the lower park, urban pathways continue through a new ramp, redefining the square as a gateway to the park.

Between "city" and "landscape", "square" and "park", "residents" and "visitors", "tranquility" and "liveliness"—the square becomes a place that opens up new opportunities for connection!