Quoi de neuf sous serre ? En-quête des espaces collectifs dans un immeuble à cour couverte de l’agglomération rennaise

Abstract

This article examines the architectural intentions behind communal spaces in the light of inhabitant practices, based on a monograph on Eden Square, a condominium completed in 2012 in the Rennes conurbation (France) by architects Christian Hauvette and Pierre Champenois. The building, presented as “a social and ecological utopia” by its architects, is organised around a bioclimatic greenhouse. To what extent does this operation renew the architectural approach to collective spaces? Does the existence of a remarkable space encourage a particular density of neighbourhood ties? The study shows that community life has not taken on the expected dimensions. The majority of tenants consider themselves to be merely “passing through”. For their part, the managing agent and the few co-owners anticipate conflicts over “excessive” use of the greenhouse. Despite its exceptional nature, the greenhouse is not immune to the fact that representations and uses are strongly correlated with macro-sociological factors. In the end, the greenhouse’s potential lies above all in its ambience and its ability to fuel imaginations, both among architects and residents. The resources it offers are not based on social ties but on the sharing of the same sensitive experience.

Image: Relevé de la serre : des parcours multiples, des paysages variés. © Julie Laveyssière, 2018.