In contemporary society, the black-and-white contrast often symbolizes luxury products. The Village project combines luxury with natural living and local traditions—core concepts behind the design of this outlet shopping center.
The Village is situated at the gateway to Lyon, France’s second-largest tourist city, along the winter sports route. This location offers exceptional potential to accommodate a significant number of visitors. The architectural complex challenges traditional BIM design by featuring a series of gabled roof structures that create a striking visual impact. The project perfectly balances tradition, modernity, and functionality to offer an innovative luxury shopping experience.
As its name suggests, this shopping center evokes the traditional French village of Iser, reimagined through the use of black and white elements that play with shadow and light. The site was once an old gravel pit, marked by the railway slope on the square. The silo parking structure echoes the surrounding volumes and simulates a natural landscape. This 1,600-space parking facility features a long corridor balcony that extends along the slope, providing visitors with a scenic walkway from the parking area to the shopping center.
This green valley complex embraces the traditional concept of rural villages, blending nature with human civilization. Simple roof geometries are incorporated to bring a rural ambiance into urban life. Four white buildings with double-pitched roofs are arranged in a circular pattern, surrounded by lush vegetation, forming a crown-like shape. This ‘crown’ is segmented into various sizes and heights, with outdoor areas connected by a channel that echoes the functional space and shopping areas below. Green landscaping plays a vital role in revitalizing the silo parking lot, enveloping the central crown and integrating the entire site into a seamless shopping experience.
The scale of the stores and the materials used enhance the visitors’ sense of uniqueness, offering a grand and sensory architectural experience. The building’s exterior features varying levels of transparency: storefronts transition from clear glass at the base to solid white panels at the top, blurring the line between glass and wall. This effect, reminiscent of a snow-capped mountain peak, gives the building a crystalline appearance.
The Village is more than just a shopping center; it is an ideal destination that includes green spaces, music stages, and various amenities. A large lake flanking the building offers tiered seating, where visitors can enjoy nightly fountain shows and captivating water projections. As the region’s first “brand village,” it features 120 luxury labels, including high-end fashion and sports brands, alongside 11 restaurants. All technical and service facilities are discreetly integrated and masked by vegetation or decorative elements, blending seamlessly with the local architecture.
Drawings
Site plan
Detailed house drawing
Appearance detail drawing
Elevation drawing
Elevation drawing
Sectional view
Project Information
Architect: Gianni Ranaulo Design
Location: Parc du Couvent, Steve Biko Avenue, 38090 Villefontaine, France
Category: Sustainable Development
Chief Architect: Gianni Ranaulo
Design Team: Irene Mennini, Matteo Alfonsi, Ludovico Laura, Aurélien Leriche, Ángel J. Sánchez, YunSil AHN, Klaudyna Stanek, Luca Bregni, Giacomo Termini, Judy Elkhatib, Ajmal Majeed
Building Area: 128,000 square meters
Project Year: 2018
Photographers: Marjorie Bruyere, Éric Heranval, Luc Boegly
General Contractor: TPFI
Client: Company of Phalsbourg
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