ZUO took part in the competition organized by the City of Salon-de-Provence for the redevelopment of the surroundings of Place Morgan.

The principle of this project is to define the vast periphery of the square — whose size is extremely large — with an architecture that is at once highly contemporary and reminiscent of traditional large market halls. All the new buildings therefore adopt very simple forms, with 30% double-pitch roofs, as is customary in Provence.

Architecturally, it is a very pure project, made of a red powder-coated metal skin, the colour of terracotta, which folds up to form the roof while concealing all technical equipment behind louvres inserted into the roof planes. In this way, the project naturally integrates into the landscape of Salon’s roofs — highly visible from the Château de l’Empéri — while giving the city a somewhat… radical contemporary character.

The gable ends of the buildings, all facing the square, are large glass façades. In the case of the main building, located at the back of Place Morgan and housing a multiplex cinema, this façade does not need solar protection, as it faces due north. The other buildings are protected by metal louvers in the same terracotta colour as the rest of the project. At this stage, it is also entirely conceivable to develop the same architectural approach using terracotta shingles, which — through material mimicry — would further enhance the integration of the new buildings within a site strongly characterised by Roman tiles.