The object of the project is the enhancement of the green spaces along the banks of the Mayenne river by reinforcing their identity. Elements of the client brief are associated with elements of the ancient natural landscape.
The driving idea is to bring out the ‘genus loci’ by revealing the underlying nature of the ancient river bed and creating an atmosphere for relaxation and strolling for the city dwellers. The symbolism of the river is evoked by six major elements that compose the spaces of the Boston Square.
1. The Green Backbone is a structuring alignment of plane trees. It arrives in the square as a continuation of the alignments of the Cours de la Resistance underlining the adjacent hillside and participating in the urban composition.
2. The Riverside is composed of natural riverside plants with light blue leaves that move with the breeze. They represent the river banks and extend from the north to the south of the Square. They participate in the spatial composition and offer a layer of human scale planting.
3. The Sand Banks The winding footpaths represent the sand banks formed by the movement of the water and the deposits of minerals.
4. The Rock Plinth host the elements of the program such as the bandstand, the 900m² exhibition space and the relaxation space. These plinths represent the large rocks around which the river currents flow.
5. The Open Prairie is an open stretch of ground representing the ancient flood plain of the Mayenne. It is to be used for relaxation, picnics and ball games.
6. The Wooden Crossings link the the east and west sides of the Square rythmed by the plot division of the adjoining city block. They symbolise the wooden riverside pontoons.
