The city of Villeurbanne (Rhône) announced last week the creation of a brand new district next to that of Gratte-Ciel which has made its reputation for almost a hundred years now.
In all, close to 1,000 housing units will see the light of day in the 19th city of France.
This enlarged city center will use the same architectural framework and the same dimensions as the buildings built in the 1930s by Môrice Leroux, on the orders of Lazare Goujon, the mayor at the time.
The objective is all the same to bring a touch of modernity to this base, each new building having its own architectural gesture and its own color.
“This project is exceptional for its urbanity.
We made the choice of density, but a reasonable and friendly density where people feel at home.
This dense city is part of the extension of the existing district, through a tailor-made project which is not yet another exoskeleton that can already be found elsewhere in France", declared Nicolas Michelin, chief architect and urban planner of the Skyscraper project.
"With this project, Villeurbanne will become the heart of the metropolis, in the same way as Lyon", welcomed Bruno Bernard, the president of the metropolis of Lyon.
Among the 855 housing units created, 60% will be subsidized housing and 40% on the free market, of which nearly two-thirds will be at a capped price.
Delivery is expected for mid-2026 for an overall budget of 104 million to be borne by the public authorities.