PROJECT ORIGIN

The “Pavillon en liberté” (“freedom Pavilion”) project was selected as part of the participatory budgeting program of the city of Bordeaux. Conceived by two Bacalan residents, Emmanuelle MARCH and Isabelle DAVID, they identified five urban locations in the neighborhood to install specific furniture at each site to make the space more comfortable and beneficial to residents.

Of the five sites, they called on Bruit du frigo to design and produce the furniture for Place Marjolaine, located at 63 Rue Charles Martin in Bordeaux.

It is located in the historic part of the neighborhood, at the corner of Rue Charles Martin and Rue Blanqui. The immediate urban fabric consists of single-family homes, a local shop called “Le Bar Cave,” and the Blanqui middle school.

MARJOLAINE SQUARE

The square is named in honor of the former owner of the “bar cave”, an iconic figure in the neighborhood who, according to the stories we have been told, was a gathering place, a place of socializing and an essential part of life for the neighborhood’s residents. Marjolaine was not her first name, but the name of the wine she served at the bar. That was all it took for her to be given a new name by all her customers.

This square was redesigned in 2023. The work carried out included planting vegetation, installing a picnic table, two chess tables, two petanque courts, a dedicated gardening area, and five benches. These improvements have reinforced existing uses, introduced a new use with gardening, and created a buffer zone between the square and the street through the addition of vegetation, thereby improving safety for young children and increasing comfort.

There is still a grassy area of approximately 35 m² on the square that remains free. This space is one of the sites identified in the “Pavillon en liberté” project. It is therefore on this area that we will install the next furniture.

A PROJECT IN CONSULTATION WITH USERS

On two occasions, we held consultation workshops to better understand how the square functions. Who uses it, on what occasions, what they prefer, and what is missing…

First, with middle school students, who are the local, everyday users of the site, then with families who often meet up after school to chat, have a drink at the bar, and organize neighborhood events.

SUMMARY OF THE CONSULTATION

Meetings with middle school students and families revealed that:

– communal furniture suitable for all generations would be appropriate for this square

– this furniture would allow younger children to play on it and older people to sit down, chat, and spend time with friends, and everyone to eat and drink in peace

– We also noted that festive events were organized in the square and that the furniture should be able to accommodate small-scale performances, such as concerts and karaoke.

A NEIGHBORHOOD WITH A STRONG IDENTITY

Among the anecdotes we heard was one about a neighborhood with a strong, almost “insular” character, politically and socially engaged, revealing an authenticity and a strong neighborhood identity.

Its history spans generations and shapes its contemporary history. The neighborhood’s working-class history is still celebrated, including companies such as Lessieur and Beghin Say on the Achard site. The latter caught our attention and inspired our imagination as a starting point for designing the furniture.

STARTING POINT: A HISTORIC LOCATION –> THE BEGHIN-SAY FACTORY IN BACALAN, NOW KNOWN AS “LA CITÉ BLEUE”

Giant sugar cubes made of solid wood, painted in pastel colors that echo the aesthetic of a box of packaged sugar cubes. These assembled sugar cubes become seats, a small stage, a communal space, playful furniture that can be easily appropriated by everyone. Stenciled messages add a playful and festive dimension, linked to the data gathered during the meetings.

Masts are used to hang festive garlands and flags during celebrations. A notice board is used for drawing, posting messages, and sharing neighborhood information.

This project echoes the working-class and popular memory that developed in the mid-19th century in the Bacalan district, which retains a very strong and unique identity within the city of Bordeaux.

“Un béguin pour Marjolaine” was delivered on June 19, 2025, and will be inaugurated on October 16, 2025!