Regeneration of Base Sous-Marine

The regeneration of the ‘Base Sous-Marine’ district in Bordeaux exemplifies the challenges that local authorities face today: reclaiming brownfield sites and introducing green spaces to improve neighbourhood appeal and create sustainable, inclusive public spaces.

The Bassins à Flot district, spanning almost 4 hectares, is located behind Base Sous-Marine. This formerly tarmacked area has been transformed into a public park with landscaped gardens. This transformation is part of a strong commitment to replacing hard surfaces with natural soil and integrating rainwater management systems to improve thermal comfort in summer.

Beyond environmental considerations, the park acts as a social bridge, creating green spaces and connecting landmarks such as the Cité du Vin via new pedestrian and cycle routes. Equipped with a playground, dog park, outdoor stage and two pétanque courts, the park is designed to be a vibrant, intergenerational community hub that fosters a sense of ownership.
 

A lighting design that prioritises functionality and simplicity

Quartiers Lumières was commissioned to design the lighting for this new space. The design was guided by the principles of ensuring safety and comfort, respecting biodiversity, and controlling energy consumption. The SHUFFLE pole was the obvious choice for lighting the pathways and structuring the spaces. However, Lionel Bessières and Schréder wanted to give it a more sensory, almost narrative dimension that went beyond its primary function.

Inspired by the aesthetics of old-fashioned light bulbs, we developed a version incorporating an etched tube with a 'filament' effect.
 

How does it work in practice? 

Under normal circumstances, only the filament is lit. A PCB located at the base of the tube illuminates the filament, emitting a soft amber light that creates a soothing atmosphere while respecting the night-time environment.

When people are detected, light panels with specific narrow-beam optics are activated in groups to provide functional lighting (2,200K), ensuring safe movement.

The lighting adapts to the rhythm of the park at any given time. It remains subtle when the space is empty and becomes more prominent when it is busy. Syncing with life in the park, the lighting balances safety, comfort and energy efficiency.
 

Bespoke solutions for optimising public spaces

For the pétanque courts and the area around them, the lighting designer proposed a practical and original “more with less” approach to the local authorities. 

Rather than cluttering the area with extra furniture, we integrated everything needed for playing the game into a multifunctional SHUFFLE pole.
Our Brackets and Poles team designed a bespoke metal support structure to hold a wooden shelf, which was crafted by a local carpenter, as well as a specific metal structure to incorporate scoreboards for the players and hooks to hang bags for the pétanque balls.

The SHUFFLE pole thereby becomes:

• a light point; 
• a functional support;
• a piece of urban furniture;
• a distinctive feature in the park.

This approach reduces the number of pieces of urban furniture required, simplifies maintenance and keeps the landscape clear.

To enhance the social experience in a responsible way, the courts feature a manual push-button supplied by Aximum. When pressed, the light output temporarily increases to illuminate the court for a game. A 25-minute timer manages the cycle; as it nears the end, the light dims to signal to players that they should either finish their match or start a new session. 

Once the game is over, the site seamlessly reverts to its low-energy, adaptive mode. This is a perfect example of how bespoke design is not a luxury, but a smart and practical response to how people actually use the city.