Caisse d'Epargne de Meriadeck
MonumentHidden Treasure
Caisse d'Epargne de Meriadeck, located in Bordeaux (Gironde), is a modern edifice built in the 19th-20th centuries. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Period
- Modern (19th-20th century)
- Location
- Bordeaux, Gironde, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 44.8386, -0.5835
- Mérimée Reference
- PA33000174
The Brutalist jewel of Bordeaux-Mériadeck, Edmond Lay's Caisse d'Épargne (1977) astounds with its projecting circular tops and dizzying interior atrium - a work listed as a Historic Monument.
History
In the heart of the Mériadeck district, this Caisse d'Épargne, completed in 1977, stands out as one of the most daring buildings in French architecture in the second half of the 20th century. Far from the cruciform towers that punctuate the rest of the redeveloped district, the building designed by Edmond Lay immediately surprises with its sculpted silhouette, made up of superimposed circular trays like so many suspended discs, more reminiscent of a work of visual art than a service building. What makes this monument truly unique is the constant dialogue between geometric rigour and organic sensuality. The outward-sloping walls, clad in light-coloured limestone, catch the light depending on the time of day and the season, giving the façade an appearance that varies from golden honey to silvery grey. This soft stone cladding contrasts with the brutality of the structural concrete, giving the whole an unexpected elegance. Inside, visitors discover a radically different space from what the exterior suggests. A vast central atrium distributes curved walkways and counter-curves that wrap around the void, in a spatial ballet worthy of the greatest organic creations of the twentieth century. The zenithal light that floods this atrium transforms every hour of the day into a different light show, bathing the workspaces in a soft, diffused light. The visitor experience oscillates between architectural contemplation and the rediscovery of a little-known Bordeaux, that of the ambitious modernity of the Trente Glorieuses. The building is part of the wider panorama of the Mériadeck district, a vast urban operation that has profoundly reshaped this part of the city, and of which it is undoubtedly the architectural centrepiece. Classified as a Historic Monument in 2022, this building embodies the belated but well-deserved recognition of a twentieth-century heritage that has long been underestimated. Its protection reflects a collective awareness of the cultural and artistic value of French Brutalist and Organicist architecture.
Architecture
The architecture of the Caisse d'Épargne de Mériadeck belongs to the organicist movement of the second half of the 20th century, strongly influenced by the work of Frank Lloyd Wright and his concept of spaces in harmony with human nature. Edmond Lay deliberately chose to depart from the dominant approach in the district - the cruciform towers - to propose a volume made up of superimposed, offset circular platforms, whose successive overhangs create an impression of almost mineral density. The outward-sloping walls, slightly flared at each level, reinforce the impression of a gently expanding building, like a petrified mushroom or a stack of millstones. The light limestone cladding that covers these walls visually anchors the building in the Bordeaux construction tradition, while giving the whole a warm, almost tactile texture. Inside, the spatial organisation is radically different from that of contemporary office buildings. A vast central atrium, open throughout the height of the building, forms the distributing heart of the building. The levels are linked by curved walkways that wrap around this central void, creating a constant dialogue between the workspaces and the common volume. The interplay of curves and counter-curves in the interior produces a spatial fluidity that is rare in commercial architecture of the time, recalling the ambience of great Wrightonian works such as the Guggenheim Museum in New York. Natural light, introduced through the atrium's zenithal skylight, spreads a soft light throughout the interior spaces, avoiding the austerity often associated with concrete brutalism.
Related Figures
Edmond Lay — architecte principal du projet, Grand Prix national d'architecture 1984, admirateur de Frank Lloyd WrightDugravier — architecte collaborateur sur le projet de la Caisse d'ÉpargneLayre & Cassou — cabinet d'architectes collaborateur sur la réalisation du bâtimentFrank Lloyd Wright — maître américain de l'architecture organique, influence revendiquée par Edmond LayJacques Chaban-Delmas — maire de Bordeaux (1947-1995), figure politique centrale des grandes transformations du quartier Mériadeck
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Caisse d'Epargne de Meriadeck located?
Caisse d'Epargne de Meriadeck is located in Bordeaux, Gironde department, Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, France.
When was Caisse d'Epargne de Meriadeck built?
Caisse d'Epargne de Meriadeck dates back to a period built in the modern era (19th-20th century).
Is Caisse d'Epargne de Meriadeck open to visitors?
Caisse d'Epargne de Meriadeck is currently closed to visitors.