Bordeaux: From west to east: new developments in Bordeaux

This tour explores both sides of the Garonne River—an essential force in shaping Bordeaux’s history and urban growth—to better understand the city’s current evolution and dynamics. The Bassins à Flot and Bastide-Niel districts, though both built on former industrial land, embody two very different development strategies, relationships to the historic center, and regulatory contexts. Starting from Place Stalingrad, the visit highlights the unique dialogue between the riverbanks: the UNESCO-listed 18th-century façade of the left bank contrasted with contemporary parks on the right. This first part of the tour reveals a district in full transformation, marked by early works from Lacaton & Vassal and Robbrecht & Daem’s municipal archives. It culminates in the Bastide-Niel eco-district, whose masterplan by MVRDV combines industrial heritage with innovative urban and technical solutions, while the Darwin ecosystem adds cultural vitality and programmatic diversity, attracting a wide range of users.

Crossing to the left bank, the atmosphere shifts entirely. The Bassins à Flot district, also shaped by its industrial past, has developed along a different trajectory due to its direct connection with Bordeaux’s city center. Now home to the iconic Cité du Vin by XTU architects, a new lift bridge, and remnants of its port and military history, the area has emerged as a major contemporary extension of the city. Guided by a masterplan from Nicolas Michelin / ANMA, Bassins à Flot operates under a distinctive regulatory framework and economic model, hosting international-scale public projects, experimental housing forms, and unusual industrial typologies that offer visitors a fresh perspective on Bordeaux’s urban reinvention.