1. History
     Origin of the name    Farmlands    Cavalry barracks    Post-war housing    Directional center    Major rail node    European business district  

2. Geography

3. Economy

4. Landmarks
     Skyscraper and high rises    High rises under construction    Proposed skyscraper projects    Tour Incity    Tour Part-Dieu    Tour Oxygène    Tour Swiss Life    Other landmarks    Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse    Mall    Auditorium    Municipal Library    Archives Department    Grand Lyon Hotel    Montluc Prison  

5. Transportation

6. La Part-Dieu 2030

7. See also

8. References

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The district of La Part-Dieu is the central business district of Lyon, located in its 3rd arrondissement. While it is not the historic downtown of Lyon, nor the location that road signs labeled "centre" direct drivers towards, it is the heart of both business and commerce in the city. The district is the second-largest business district of France after La Défense in the Paris area,^[4] with over 1,650,000m² of office space and services and more than 55,000 jobs. Located east of the Rhone, Part-Dieu is a major transport and commercial gateway for Europe, as the very busy Lyon-Part-Dieu railway station is located in the district. The shopping mall is one of the largest shopping malls in all of Europe.^[5]

History

Origin of the name

La Part-Dieu was once called "la Pardieu", what could be translated as "God's ownership" or "Gift of God". The original place was a large swampy area, and History tells how a 12th-century pious man saw a gift from God in the only piece of land that had emerged.^[6]

Farmlands

Before the 1850s, La Part-Dieu was composed of rural flood-zones. It was ceded by the Mazenod-Servient family to the Hôtel-Dieu de Lyon Public Hospitals in 1737.^[7] The embankment of the Rhône river and construction of bridges ( see Bridges of Lyon ) led to the management of flood risk and urbanization of the eastern Rhone bank from 1772 onwards. By the end of the 18th century, La Part-Dieu domain was a large estate bordered by the Brotteaux and Guillotière districts.^[8]

The Lafayette bridge erected in 1872^[9] accelerated the eastward urbanization process, while cleansed farmlands gave way to wheat production. From 1830 to 1848, the city erected walls to protect itself from foreign invasions. La Part-Dieu, thus becoming a fort, acquired a military function. Because of the administrative, urban and geological complexity of Lyon, rail transport brought multiple train stations to existence. The Part-Dieu one was solely dedicated to freight transport.^[8]

Cavalry barracks

In 1844, the Public Hospitals sold their land to the military administration, which built cavalry barracks from 1851 to 1863. However, the process of urbanization was limited by traverse axes and the fact that Lafayette street was the only road connecting La Part-Dieu with the Lyon peninsula. In order to link the city with Geneva, the Gare des Brotteaux was designed by the Chemins de fer de Paris à Lyon et à la Méditerranée company, which led to the dismantling of wall fortifications to make way for railway lines. Meanwhile, the military compound took on the orthogonal footprint of the original farm estate.^[8]

At the beginning of the 20th century, Édouard Herriot was elected Mayor of Lyon, a dominating French city outside of Paris, thanks to its dynamic industrial and commercial output. Inspired by the French hygiéniste urbanist movement, similar to Haussmann's renovation of Paris, he undertook major works to improve urban and social space. The eastward urban expansion, rail and road networks turned the Part-Dieu marshalling yards into the centre of the metropolitan area. In 1926, a project based on American Downtowns emerged.^[8]

Post-war housing

Following World War II, France's top priorities were to rebuild the housing stock fast, to push for economic development and to favour efficient movements by car. Due to the evolution of warfare, the military compound lost its importance and became part of a massive housing estate project.^[8]

In 1960, the French state sold the lands to a private company, SERL, to bring the project to life.^[10] The subsequent demolition of existing structures took 5 years. The fact that large estates were owned by state administrations (Public Hospitals, SNCF and the military), allowed for a profound transformation right in the middle of the city.^[8]

The program evolved under the mandate of Mayor Pradel, not only by pushing for housing construction but also for encouraging the construction of an administrative centre and private office space to host public services, such as radio and police stations. The winning architectural project abode by the Athens Charter, a rigorous modernist urban planning philosophy developed by Le Corbusier.^[8]

It promoted the separation of human and car flow through the use of "above the street" concrete structures, in a La Défense fashion, allowing for car supremacy on the lower street level, while overhead orthogonal architecture standing on reinforced concrete stilts followed the Unité d'habitation principles. Consequently, several buildings were drawn by the hands of Jacques Perrin-Fayolle, Jean Sillan and Jean Zumbrunnen, nonetheless, only a third of the planned structures were constructed.^[8]

Directional center

While the Charles de Gaulle government pushed for the decentralization of France, car-centric urbanism from the Trente Glorieuses fuelled the growth of the periphery at the expense of the centre. As a result, a management plan was drafted by urbanist Charles Delfante and Jean Zumbrunnen, under the supervision of Mayor Louis Pradel. It included the development of commercial, tertiary and cultural activities, in order to compete with Paris and other international cities and to turn La Part-Dieu into a showcase of modernity. A central train station was planned but the SNCF refused to fund it, a move which hindered the purpose of the directional center.^[8]

Lyon had to become the "Balancing Metropolis", relying on regional cities like Grenoble or Saint Etienne, that fought the impoverishment and depopulation of urban centers, owing to a network of highways passing through La Part-Dieu. The original plan included major east-west an north-south green axes, pedestrian-friendly spaces such as a central plaza well served by public transit, and an iconic tower as tall as the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière from its historical hill.^[8]

However, the 1970s oil shocks and following housing crises altered the project as profitability became the main concern, isolating the district from the rest of city flows. Pedestrians were alienated because of the rupture of major axes caused by the expansion of the central mall, and also by favouring vehicle transport over public transit and finally by constructing concrete pedestrian bridges several meters above street level that isolated architectures into islands. Nevertheless, several iconic structures were elevated during this decade, such as the Municipal Library (1974), the Mall and Auditorium (1975) and the Tour Part-Dieu (1977). To that end, La Part-Dieu differentiated itself from the historical center with a strong architectural identity by offering high end tertiary activities and public services.^[8]

Major rail node

In 1974, it was decided to transfer the old Brotteaux station to La Part-Dieu thanks to its central position. By that time, Line {{R-I|lyon|B}} of Lyon Métro arrived inside the Mall in 1978. Half of the marshalling yards were converted into a large real estate project in order to fund the development of the new train station on each side of the rail tracks. The objective was also to integrate the district with its railways, that is, Central Lyon with eastern neighborhoods. 1983 saw the inauguration of France's first high speed rail TGV line, between Lyon and Paris. Unfortunately, large urban roads surrounding the business district, for instance the existing Viver-Merle Boulevard, continued to divide the business district from the eastern neighborhoods and train station.^[8]

European business district

La Part-Dieu's expansion slowed down during 1990s because of a strong momentum of urban development all over the agglomeration, regarding the Confluence district, the Cité Internationale, Gerland and La Doua Campus. The City Council drove efforts to minimize car travel and to encourage public transit within city limits. It also wished to establish a proper European business district doubling its office supply by densifying the area with 7 highrises such as the Swiss Life and Oxygène Tower, although most proposals were scrapped, because Lyon was focusing elsewhere. Other objectives were to reintegrate the district within the surrounding urban environment through the reclassification of major roads, the conception of the T1 tramway, the renovation of public spaces, the improvement of the connection between the métro and train station and the demolition of elevated pedestrian footbridges.^[8]

Geography

Economy

Landmarks

Skyscraper and high rises

High rises under construction

• Tour To-Lyon (Under Preparation) Office and Hotel Tower, to be completed by 2023 by Dominique Perrault Architecture (170 m)^[12]
• Tour Silex 1 and Silex 2 (Built and Under Construction), the former is a lowrise completed in 2017 and the latter is the renovated EDF tower from the 1970s that will get a contemporary cladding and a 129 meter tall extension by 2020 by Má Architects.^[17][14]

Proposed skyscraper projects

• Swiss Life 2 launched by Swiss Life, possibly by 2025 (200 m)^[18]
• Tour MLyon launched by DCB International and design by Kohn Pedersen Fox possibly by 2030 (215 m)^[19]
• Milan Plaza including several residential highrises around Milan plaza, according to the AUC plan (200m)^[20]

Tour Incity

Tour Part-Dieu

Completed in 1977, this 164 meters tall building was designed by US based architecture firm Cossutta & Associates for the main structure and by Stéphane du Château for its pyramid crown. Mainly occupied by office space, it also hosts a luxurious Radisson Blu Hotel at the top.

The tower, originally named Crédit Lyonnais, is now called Tour Part-Dieu, but is best known by its nickname, le Crayon or the Pencil.

Its postmodern style is showing through the terracotta cladding, imitating the reddish Lyon tiles, and also through the main volume echoing with the Rose Tower traboule in the Vieux Lyon quarter from French Renaissance.^[23][24]

Tour Oxygène

Tour Oxygène consists of a direct link to the Part-Dieu Mall, an underground parking lot and 117 meter tall structure crowned by a leaf, to resonate with the pyramidal crown of the first tower. Constructed in 2010, this high-rise designed by Arte Charpentier Architects is a representation of the dynamism that Lyon has been experiencing since the early 2000s.^[25]

Tour Swiss Life

Other landmarks

Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse

The Part-Dieu covered market is an international reference in terms of French and Lyon cuisine. 48 merchants ( fishmongers, cheesemakers, bakers and pastry cooks, caterers, cellarmen and restaurant owners ) work under the same roof and prepetuate local traditions of Lyon, the gastronomical capital of France.

In 1859, the city inaugurated its first covered market in Cordeliers, with a metal and glass frame, easing the lives of merchants and consumers, and decided to innovate the covered market design in the future La Part-Dieu district.

In 1971, the 3 levelled covered market opened. The city of Lyon renovated and put the Halles in line with safety standards in 2004.

The covered market now bears the name of Paul Bocuse, the famed starred French chef.^[26]

Mall

The Part-Dieu mall was the largest urban mall in Europe when it opened in 1975. It was built on the cavalry barracks' former location. The new signage references the past with a parking lot named Cuirassiers or "Light Cavalry".

The mall hosts large retailers and shop owners on five levels. Located downtown, it was and still is linked to the business district. Trams and high speed rail reinforced its position as a regional shopping hub. In 2010 the mall got a major extension thanks to the Oxygène Tower.^[27] This unibail-Rodamco owned project is currently undergoing a major renovation project, totalling 300 million euros, according to a Winy Maas design. ^[28]

Auditorium

Municipal Library

In a bid to modernize the former St Jean municipal library, Henry Holy proposed the idea of experimenting the library of the future, since the existing building suffered from overcrowding, and lacked contemporary documentation.

In July 1966 Mayor Louis Pradel decided to incorporate this building into the Part-Dieu project. It ended up offering multiple services such as access to contemporary documents and large study halls. 27,000 square meters are distributed into 3 levels, each dedicated to public reading, studies and research. Thus the library is opened to university researchers and middle school students alike.

In 1969, construction started on the silo containing all historical documents from the former library. It then opened in 1972 and had to wait until the late 2000s to get an entrance open towards the train station. The 1980s saw the mass informatization of data and new ways of searching it. The structure is currently undergoing renovation.^[29]

Archives Department

Grand Lyon Hotel

Montluc Prison

The Montluc prison opened in 1926 from the existing fort.

Under the Vichy Regime, it became a major jewish deportation center and French Resistance prison.

It was converted into a civilian prison in 1947 and museum in 2010.^[30]

Transportation

La Part-Dieu is the main Lyon transportation hub that includes :

• a high speed, regional and freight train station currently saturated and undergoing renovation^[31]
• line {{R-I|lyon|B}} of Lyon Métro^[31]
• a Rhônexpress shuttle linking the district to Lyon-Saint-Exupéry International Airport and high speed rail station in less than 30 minutes^[31]
• tramway lines (T1, T3 and T4)^[31]
• local bus lines (C1, C2, C3, C7, C 13, 25, 37, 38 and 70)^[31]
• regional bus lines to Isère (1920, 1980 and 2060) or the Rhône region (165)^[31]
• a main coach station under renovation on the Place de Francfort^[32]
• public bicycle sharing stations^[31]
• some taxi and drop-off zones^[31]
• a car rental parking lot under construction^[33]
• four large public car parks^[31]

La Part-Dieu 2030

Since the 2010s, La Part-Dieu has been undergoing a major transformation, totalling around 2.5 billions euros between private and public investments.^[34]

Lyon Metropolis launched an ambitious project to renew La Part-Dieu area with the collaboration of SPL La Part-Dieu organisation and the AUC architecture firm. The goal is to improve tertiary, housing and collective spaces and respecting the existing cultural heritage at the same time. It also wants to turn the business district into a place to live in rather to just work while spurring economic development.^[35]

All contemporary developments, including Tour Incity, try to rhyme with the historical heritage and to respect the distinct Part-Dieu style, that consists mostly of repetitive retrofuturistic and mineral patterns from the 1960s and 1970s.^[7]

See also

• Gare de Lyon-Part-Dieu
• Lyon Part-Dieu (Shopping Center)

References

• Zaks (surname)
• Zak Stevens
• Zak's theorem
• ZAK Subotica
• Zak Surety
• Zak (surname)
• Zak transform
• Zaku-Amadiya (Chaldean Diocese)
• Zakuani
• Zakupne
• Zakurozaka no Adauchi
• Zakuro zaka no Adauchi
• Zakuta
• Zakutex
• Zakutka Mass Grave
• Zak Williams
• Zaky Mallah
• Zakynthiakos F.C.
• Zakynthos Airport
• Zakynthos (disambiguation)
• Zakynthos FC
• Zaky (surname)
• Zakzaky
• Zak Zodiac
• Zakzouk