A major event every month summarizes the head

For the hundredth anniversary of the racing at le Mans (1906-2006), 24 hours circuit made the household on its competing approaches with a new public Village, until the redevelopment of the space for next year. The Audi victorious Sunday 18 June, first car involved in the test, diesel-powered and turned for twenty-four hours before new VIP lodges, while his double was peacefully presentation on the central square of the new village. The low sound level, it is true, characterized the diesel engine of this little audible Audi compared to its competitors.

Dubbed in the media by the Grand prix of formula 1, 24 hours of le Mans race remains immensely popular, especially from France, with childcare visitors each year, including a third of British, faithful to the position for a week, as soon as the tests. "The race is Le Mans on the map of the world, notes Didier Bahin, Director General of the agglomeration community services, and provides benefits equivalent to the Olympic Games being held in accumulated over 20 years."

That is the attachment of the Manceaux in this endurance race, not to mention its declensions motorcycles and trucks, and the Grand Prize of France motorcyclist traditionally dispute. "A major event every month", summarizes the head. In fact, the circuit composed of sections of national and departmental roads is in the public domain, except the Bugatti loop, and the adjoining territory belongs to the Joint Union of the circuit, which combines the region, the Department and the Le Mans metropolis. The magnitude of investments and the responsibilities imposed this rise in pole position of the local authorities there about 15 years, the Automobile Club of Western demoting place operator. The site development burden is not a thin case because of the strong ownership of places, contracted uses and positions acquired over the years on the outskirts. 24 Hours are a matter of enthusiasts, both the public and competitors, with a strong presence of independent stables. All a State of mind that the developer must maintain.

A "logistics race".

The competition launched in December 2004 has the ambition to restore order to the territory of 6 hectares encompassing the main stand, the competitors booths and public Village, without breaking this beautiful event mechanics by tradition. The project anticipated is urban, landscape and architecture, but also strategic since it intervenes on a maintained site operation and not both should not disrupt patterns.

The winning team formed around Bruno Huet, architect, is Angioino and familiar with the field. Planned in two phases, operation begins with the development of the public Village deployed at the outlet of the tunnel access under the track, at the northern entrance of the circuit. Completed for this year's Edition, the works were conducted in four and a half months, "at bottom the bolts", for a total of 3,500 m2 of metal buildings distributed around a Central Plaza in same area which leads balcony on competing space. This enclave backed the main stand will see its capacity range of 45 to 55 competitors, with stands on the runway and rear bases for the teams. It is the second phase of work, launched tomorrow.

Bruno Huet speaks of a "logistics race". An endurance event all the more harsh that launched the first call for tender in Group of companies at the local level is doubled for a second, separate batch, expanded in the Maine-et-Loire, since mancelles companies appeared clearly captured by the construction of the tram, another circuit currently under construction on the town.

Plant treilles

Pragmatic, the architect has designed several types of modules built almost all metal and also elegant, consistent with a manufacturing workshop and a Flash editing. "The village thus consists of 30 entities, all intended to the event location: Twelve shops circumscribe the central square; four spaces of 400 m2 club moved to calm in second; ten lodges VIP align overhang of the runway at the output of booths; two restaurants settled on the upper curve for the famous Dunlop Tire, count the architect, without forgetting the platform at the use of many forains merchants and five sanitary blocks.

The composition of all restores order, organizes the space around the central vacuum and gives the orientation of the show. Trees serve as a benchmark, venerable thick oak, old forked pine or Cedar in scope. Protect them was not clear, but nobody would sacrifice them to the worship of the bitumen and rental profitability. The Guillaume Sevin landscape associated with the project even tried to plant new, including Scots pine in agreement with the forest landscape traversed by the circuit. The massive use of gravel, accompanied economic surface treatment, daredevil lawns precisely circumscribed in the framework of the clubs and the fringes of the village. The deficit of green spaces is also offset by plant treilles stretched over the walls of some modules and camouflage nets, very credible fireworks in charmilles trimmed fences. At le Mans, the developer is able to count on the educated behavior of an audience of gentlemen drivers.