The new Prado roundabout

The Prado roundabout in Marseille, which 2400 vehicles cross every day, is set to get a quality refurbishment as part of the construction of the Prado Sud tunnel, the extension and roofing of the Velodrome stadium, the redevelopment of Boulevard Rabatau and the new shopping centre on Boulevard Michelet.

The aim is to create a space for cars, a bus lane, pedestrians and bicycles, encircled by a row of trees in this symbolic and strategic site, at the heart of the 8th arrondissement and the entrance to Marseille Chanot. The project of the Marseille architecture agency, Tangram, is based on a number of successive rings dedicated to the various uses.

It just remains to define and choose a monumental piece for the centre, for which a call for proposals has been launched. Candidates have until 28 September to submit their proposals. Five groups will be invited to participate in the bid process this autumn. Their projects will be assessed on several criteria: how well the piece integrates with the urban environment and surrounding landscape, as well as its architectural and artistic qualities (lighting, layout), durability and maintenance reliability.