'les yeux verts' by jacques ferrier architectures
all images jacques ferrier architectures/photo luc boegly


located in soissons, france close to the famous saint jean-de-la vigne abbey, is the new
600 space capacity 'les yeux verts' by jacques ferrier architectures. the multi-storey
car park is fundamental to redeveloping the gouraud barracks into a modern business park.

its presence contributes to the transformation of the site and is one of its federating landmark
elements. with its concrete structure, galvanised steel framework and timber cladding,
the car park takes the form of a contemporary yet highly restrained urban infrastructure.

the architectural style of the building is based on a clearly affirmed structure overlaid by
a pleated openwork timber envelope that lightly and delicately clads the entire car park.
on each level, a slit opens up in the envelope to provide views from the inside over the urban
landscape of the town. from the outside, these 'green eyes' open widely to reveal hanging
gardens that delicately spread into the surrounding facade.

subtle visual variations have been created using a single retified spruce slat module. this is
achieved by adjusting the rhythm and angling of the slats, stepping away from the facades,
using solids and voids, and incorporating light and transparency into the construction. these
elements create dynamic, vibrant façades that give the car park a strong image within the town’s
urban fabric.

the signage takes the form of a series of ten photographic images (one per half-level) that,
borrowing from the 'memory' game used by charles eames, allows users to mentally associate
the area where their cars are parked with an atmosphere, a sensation and a visual reference point.

project info:
architectural team : jacques ferrier architectures
architect : jacques ferrier
project manager : stéphane vigoureux
team : emmanuel coudert (project leader), corentin lespagnol (image conception), david juhel, harold chaveneau
client : communauté d’agglomération du soissonnais
city : soissons, france
programme: parking, 600 spaces
competition: winning project in 2007
completion: march 2010
area: 12 250 m²
cost : 6.6 m euros

consultants :
landscape designer: agence ter
signage: laboratoire irb ruedi baur
structural engineers: hdm ingénierie
utilities engineers: sogeti ingénierie
photos credits: © jacques ferrier architectures/photo luc boegly