Place Saint-Sernin
Awards: Finalist, European Prize for Urban public Space 2022. Le Geste d’Or 2019
The Basilica of Saint-Sernin, a Romanesque masterpiece, stands as one of Toulouse’s most iconic landmarks. As a key stop along the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela, it has been inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Grand Saint-Sernin project encompasses the redevelopment of the surrounding square, the restoration of the religious monument, and the enhancement of its cultural significance.
At the heart of the public space redevelopment is the ambition to highlight the site’s heritage while introducing more greenery, striking a balance between preservation and contemporary urban needs. This vision has led to the creation of a calm and contemplative environment—parking spaces and vehicular traffic have been removed, significantly reducing noise, pollution, and visual clutter. As a result, the space around Saint-Sernin has been reclaimed as a true civic square.
The project envisions a cohesive setting around the basilica, while also offering distinct areas with unique identities rooted in the site's rich history. The transformation provides a valuable opportunity to create much-needed public gardens for local residents, who previously had limited access to green spaces. Existing landscape features—such as the gardens of the Lycée and the 19th-century garden encircling the apse and its chapels—have been preserved, expanded, and opened to the public as welcoming daytime urban spaces.
Additionally, the memory of the former cloister and the abbey residence north of the basilica is reinterpreted through the design of a raised garden, offering a contemporary homage to the site's historical layers.
The Basilica of Saint-Sernin, a Romanesque masterpiece, stands as one of Toulouse’s most iconic landmarks. As a key stop along the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela, it has been inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Grand Saint-Sernin project encompasses the redevelopment of the surrounding square, the restoration of the religious monument, and the enhancement of its cultural significance.
At the heart of the public space redevelopment is the ambition to highlight the site’s heritage while introducing more greenery, striking a balance between preservation and contemporary urban needs. This vision has led to the creation of a calm and contemplative environment—parking spaces and vehicular traffic have been removed, significantly reducing noise, pollution, and visual clutter. As a result, the space around Saint-Sernin has been reclaimed as a true civic square.
The project envisions a cohesive setting around the basilica, while also offering distinct areas with unique identities rooted in the site’s rich history. The transformation provides a valuable opportunity to create much-needed public gardens for local residents, who previously had limited access to green spaces. Existing landscape features—such as the gardens of the Lycée and the 19th-century garden encircling the apse and its chapels—have been preserved, expanded, and opened to the public as welcoming daytime urban spaces.
Additionally, the memory of the former cloister and the abbey residence north of the basilica is reinterpreted through the design of a raised garden, offering a contemporary homage to the site’s historical layers.