Triptyque studio seeks to maintain Villeurbanne’s industrial heritage, preserving key elements while employing an avant-garde urban approach, fusing a modern aesthetic with characteristic elements of the area’s former industrial warehouses.
The project is structured in three volumes with a minimal core, integrating external walkways that create a visual rhythm around the courtyards, opening lines of sight in the heart of the block and improving accessibility and circulation.
Thanks to its flexible spaces, the building allows for easy reorganization, creating new long-term functional possibilities that adapt to the city. The ground and first floors house small artisan workshops dedicated to crafts and local production, while the upper floors house offices and commercial spaces.
M45 by Triptyque. Photograph by Salem Mostefaoui.
Project description by Triptyque
Located in the heart of Villeurbanne’s Mansart district—an area with a rich industrial heritage—M45 presents a bold, contemporary vision of the Productive City. This innovative project serves as a bridge between the city’s industrial past and the evolving needs of modern urban spaces, seamlessly integrating commercial and production areas in a dynamic, multi-use environment.
Industrial heritage, reimagined
Rather than erasing history, M45 embraces and revitalizes it. Designed as a tribute to Villeurbanne’s industrial legacy, the building pre-serves key architectural elements while introducing a forward-thinking approach to urban functionality. Its hybrid structure merges the characteristics of a former industrial hangar with a re fined, modern aesthetic— ensuring that history is not only acknowledged but celebrated in every detail of its construction.
A compact, adaptive design
M45 is conceived as a compact building, structured into three primary volumes with a minimal core. This layout optimizes space by mutualizing emergency exits, which are integrated into external walkways. These pathways create a distinct visual rhythm in the delivery courtyards while opening up sightlines at the heart of the block. Beyond enhancing accessibility and circulation, this design fosters programmatic exibility, allowing the building to accommodate a diverse mix of uses, from commercial and educational activities to residential and production spaces.
Versatile, future-proof spaces
Designed with adaptability in mind, M45 o ers reversible spaces that can evolve alongside its users’ needs. The building’s exible architecture allows for easy recon gurations, ensuring long-term viability across di ferent functions. At the ground and first foors, small artisan workshops provide space for local craft and production, while the upper levels house o ffices and commercial units—both of which can be repurposed for alternative uses as demands shift over time.
Essentialist architecture, maximum impact
De ned by an essentialist architectural approach, M45 embodies a re ned simplicity that prioritizes both function and form. The building’s subdivision into smaller units facilitates direct access to the core of the block, encouraging permeability and connectivity. Each volume features a streamlined circulation core, complemented by interconnecting walkways that enhance movement and interaction—creating a dynamic, interconnected urban space.
Seamless integration into the urban fabric
Beyond its architectural innovation, M45 integrates harmoniously into the existing urban landscape, reinforcing the area’s creative economy. By fostering small-scale production within the city, the project promotes a more compact, e fficient urban model—where diverse functions coexist and complement one another.
M45: a new vision for the productive city
More than just a building, M45 stands as a testament to how intelligent design can honor history while embracing the future. By o ering
adaptable, reversible spaces within an essentialist framework, it redifines industrial heritage for contemporary needs. As a model of sustainable urban revitalization, M45 demonstrates how architecture can serve as a conduit between past and present—breathing new life into industrial landscapes while shaping the cities of tomorrow.
