The arrival of the high-speed train line in 2017 was the trigger for change in the Saint-Jean Belcier district.
The Saint-Jean Belcier district is a mixed territory made up, over time, of a mosaic of zones, each of which has its own function, organisation and development plans. Their evolution needs to take that reality into consideration without losing the strength inherent in the place.
The Saint-Jean Belcier district is made up of nine sectors: the area around the station and Carle Vernet, already formed; Paludate, given over mainly to night-time activities; the Belcier sector, characteristic of the traditional Bordeaux fabric of shops; the central market (MIN); the Armagnac quarter, currently occupied by industrial activities related to SNCF-French Rail; and finally Brienne and Gattebourse, multi-function and which make the transition with the town of Bègles.
The spirit of these districts is the guiding principle of this project, which will be executed according to three preliminary conditions:
- each district that keeps its function on the site must be modernised, both for its own benefit, but also in order to meet environmental requirements,
- each of these quarters must abide by the city's urban principles by directing its collective functions towards new public spaces,
- existing or future districts will be grouped around a collective area, with its own coherency, mode of organisation and management.
This collective area, also called VIP (Vélos/Intermodalité/Piétons – Cycle/Intermodal/Pedestrian) constitutes the “magnet” of the district, a meeting space for residents, families, workers, visitors, artists, etc. It is not only a place for play and relaxation, but also a large urban stage associated with multiple places where the city's actors, each with their own particular practices and rhythms, meet and share. Thus VIP becomes the place for experimentation with the new uses of the city.