Cristal Riviera Entry, the currently developing renovation and regeneration program around Rennes Railway station in France asks for an improved urban circulation and connectivity within the whole of the city. The competition proposal titled Cristal Riviera, is a creative collaboration between the French firms Périphériques Architectes, a/LTA architects and Hamonic & Masson.
Their proposal is an interpretation of the regeneration brief for an architectural connection between the two parts of the city on the basis of landscape and topography morphing and erecting buildings on an independent, yet integrated into the railway system terrain. All three teams of architects have each designed a unit independently and the final outcome is three buildings analogical to crystals. Their position and shape is considered to let natural light penetrate inside, thus there is an actual inhabitable space within the territory in-between the three buildings.
The team has approached its creative thinking behind the crystal shape in a radical and rational way: by physically limiting the slab-to-slab heights of the office section to h = 3.4 m. This leaves them with an additional of 28 m left for them to morph and design in order to achieve large crystal facets. Because the team had the flexibility to reshape, resize and re-do the glazed shapes, this seems like a curated spectacle where the geometry of the building plays a theatrical role and the physical ‘manipulation’ of letting sunlight into the terrain becomes a central theme for the spectacle – which is what the architects have wanted to achieve.
The void space in-between all three tectonic buildings hence turns into a courtyard with a main function – social interaction, communication, and exchange. Even though the team did not manage to place in the competition, their proposal addresses the issue of urban integration and connectivity within the larger context of living places.
Anastasia Andreieva is an accomplished Architectural Projects Editor at Arch2O, bringing a unique blend of linguistic expertise and design enthusiasm to the team. Born and raised in Ukraine, she holds a Master’s degree in Languages from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. Her deep passion for architecture and visual storytelling led her to transition from translation and editorial roles into the world of design media. With a keen eye for conceptual clarity and narrative structure, Anastasia curates and presents global architectural projects with precision and flair. She is particularly drawn to parametric and digital design, cultural context, and emerging voices in architecture. When I’m not analyzing the latest architectural trends, you’ll probably find me searching for hidden gems in cityscapes or appreciating the beauty of well-crafted spaces. After all, great design—like great connections—can be found in the most unexpected places. Speaking of connections, because architecture isn’t the only thing that brings people together.