SARRIÀ-SANT GERVASI GUIDED TOUR FIELD GUIDE
Lyon’s Carré de Soie: Reweaving Silk Mills into a New Urban Centre
A guided, expert-led walk through the award‑recognized Carré de Soie project that traces the transformation of former silk factories into a multimodal, mixed‑use new town and decodes its architecture and planning.
Lyon’s Carré de Soie: Reweaving Silk Mills into a New Urban Centre.
Carré de Soie (Silk Square) is Lyon’s second most important urban project: a new town built between Villeurbanne and Vaulx‑en‑Velin on the site of ancient silk textile factories. The guided visit is led by the chief planner of Vaulx‑en‑Velin’s New City Center — a project honored with “L’Equerre d’Argeent” — and focuses on the area’s regeneration, its award‑winning planning, and the mix of commercial, office and residential development that now animates the site.
Highlights
Outing Highlights
From silk mills to a new town
Carré de Soie repurposes the continuity of silk fabrication that arrived in Lyon from Florence, converting former textile factories into a planned new town that now hosts office poles, multiple housing neighborhoods and an evolving urban park.
A multimodal spine and a bustling commercial core
The project began in 2010 with a multi‑modal transport station (métro, tramways and an airport connection) and a commercial centre that now records the region’s highest level of frequentation; the development includes 60,000 m2 of commercial space and two multiplex cinemas.
Signature buildings and housing prototypes
The guided visit highlights notable projects across office and residential poles: Organdi by AFAA Architects, an office building by l’Atelier du Pont, a parking building by Clément Vergely, and housing projects such as Organza (Z Architects), Indiggo (Malcolm Nouvel), Island II (Wild Rabbit Architecture) and the tower Existenciel by Petit Didier Prioux.
What the day feels like
What the visit feels like
The day unfolds as an urban study in regeneration: you begin at the Silk Square Planning Agency where an on‑site model and explanatory panels lay out the masterplan, then move through the project’s two office poles and three housing neighbourhoods to inspect completed buildings and ongoing constructions, guided throughout by the project’s chief planner.
Suitability
Who it's for
Who this visit suits
Practical planner
Details to review before reserving
No specific gear requirements were listed in the supplied details.
The visit is described with a duration range of 4–8 hours; confirm exact timing during booking.
The meeting location is confirmed during the booking process.
Review cancellation policies before reserving.
Frequently asked questions
Planning Your Outing
How long does the visit take?
The visit is listed with a duration of 4–8 hours.
Where do we meet?
The meeting location is confirmed during the booking process.
Who leads the tour?
The tour is guided by the chief planner of the New City Center of Vaulx‑en‑Velin, who was involved in the project honored with “L’Equerre d’Argeent.”
What will we see on the visit?
The itinerary includes the Silk Square Planning Agency model and panels, the two office poles (including Organdi, Atelier du Pont and a parking building by Clément Vergely) and several housing projects such as Organza, Indiggo, Island II and the Existenciel tower.
How large and active is the new town?
The project comprises 60,000 m2 of commercial space (including two multiplex cinemas), supports 14,300 office employees, and serves about 16,000 inhabitants while 22 housing projects were noted as under construction.
When did the Carré de Soie project begin in its modern phase?
The contemporary phase began in 2010 with construction of a multi‑modal transport station linking metro, tramways and an airport connection, alongside the commercial centre.