The construction of a second tramway line in the centre of the city and the resulting widening of the rue des Carmes presented the opportunity for an urban renewal of the Carmes - Madeleine Development Zone starting with a redesign of the public spaces.
At the heart of the project is the development of a new architectural approach which is both fully integrated into and highlights the quality of the existing urban tissue.
The former layout is preserved - as is the variation in heights between the buildings which is such a characteristic feature of the rue des Carmes. Hence the project is a contemporary reinterpretation which, nevertheless, ensures continuity with the historic centre of Orléans.