Carmila launches work to expand Rennes-Cesson shopping centre; H&M and Mango to move in
Opened in 1981, the Rennes-Cesson shopping centre is located 15 minutes east of Rennes, the economic capital of Brittany, in the municipality of Cesson-Sévigné. There are excellent road links from the city centre, thanks to the A84 linking Caen and Rennes, the N57 towards Orléans and the RN136, which bypasses the city. At the heart of the La Rigourdière commercial area and close to two local employment markets, it serves a catchment area of 396,000 inhabitants.
The Rennes-Cesson expansion, which is being developed in cooperation with local elected officials, is part of a comprehensive project to modernise the commercial hub, enabling it to meet the new needs of residents. By 2020, the population living in the catchment area for the centre will increase by nearly 11,000, while the municipality of Cesson-Sévigné is experiencing rapid demographic and economic growth.
“The centre is one of the region’s major retail hubs. Planned in the 1980s and having seen no significant redevelopment in the last 20 years, a major transformation was called for in terms of the commercial offering, design, amenities and environmental integration. The centre is beginning a new chapter in its history, one which will delight both our customers and our retailers,” explains Stéphane Manach, Director of the Rennes-Cesson shopping centre.
Fresh business momentum
The plan developed by Carmila and Carrefour will accommodate 27 new stores by the end of 2019.
The arrival of H&M and Mango has already been announced. These brands will become new commercial draws, complementing the Carrefour hypermarket and Maisons du Monde, which established a store in the shopping centre last October. In addition, the centre will increase its offer in terms of clothes, shoes and accessories, services, and dining options.
High-quality architecture
Designed in conjunction with the architecture firm Marraud, the project is seeking to create a contemporary, dynamic and simple space, defined by the materials and colours used and by its proportions.
Coloured frontages punctuated by matt, mirrored or translucent cladding will be used to bring a sense of harmony to the various facades of the shopping centre. A series of awnings, forming an origami design, will be incorporated throughout the site, creating a play of light and shadow on the front of the building.
In keeping with the exterior, the interior architectural features will make use of high-quality materials (glass, mirrors, digital screens, wood, etc.) that will contribute to creating an innovative and contemporary feel.
Finally, the landscaping plans, which include rest and play areas located in front of the building, will ensure full integration with the environment.
In parallel, new parking spaces will be created as part of the infrastructure. The car park will offer a total of 1,557 spaces, including a number reserved for alternative means of transport, such as electric and carsharing vehicles, as well as 37 disabled spaces and 20 family spaces. Electronic signage indicating the number of free spaces in each aisle will be installed for visitors’ convenience. The customer route will include a planted cycle path leading to Cesson-Sévigné town centre.
An environmentally-friendly project
Ensuring that this remains an environmentally-friendly project is a priority which has guided work at every stage.
The Rennes-Cesson expansion will provide an opportunity to improve the environmental performance of a site built in 1981. Carmila is committed to protecting the environment and is seeking a Very Good rating under the BREEAM assessment method, an international benchmark which is unique in taking account of criteria such as water, materials and waste management, as well as the prevention and control of pollution, and which also commits all stakeholders to responsible operation of the shopping arcade.
The site will prioritise integration into the landscape: the green spaces bordering the new forecourt will be interspersed with groves of shrubs that will adorn the car park entrances, and will be planted with grass providing a habitat for insects (butterflies, bees, etc.). The veteran trees along the Rue de Paris will be conserved. Nest boxes and insect hotels will be positioned around the site. Moreover, as with all of its expansion projects, Carmila is part of a global initiative to
preserve biodiversity through reforestation efforts. In partnership with Reforest’Action, a leading player in the field in France, financed by private funds, more than 4,000 trees will be planned in a forest in the region to help reduced the shopping centre’s carbon footprint.
Cesson-Sévigné centre: a committed stakeholder in the local economy
The centre will create 70 additional jobs, in addition to the 259 employees working at the Carrefour hypermarket and 73 in the shopping arcade. The shopping centre will work in partnership with the French national employment agency and local communities to encourage the recruitment and professional integration of local jobseekers in its future stores.
