©Serp
The Sallaumines park sits within an urban context deeply shaped by its mining heritage: the distinctive urban layout and architecture of the Nord region long left little room for public spaces. A consultation process led by the CAUE Pas-de-Calais brought this deficit of shared spaces to light, identified by residents as a real gap in their daily environment. It also revealed a strong desire for generously planted spaces and an equally strong wish to be involved in the project. True to this dialogue, the design team sought to translate these expressed needs as faithfully as possible, with the ambition of giving the neighbourhood a living heart that reconciles ecological and social functions.
To achieve this, the Serp team incorporated a range of amenities into the park: seating, vegetable planters, a pétanque court, children’s areas, and a large bespoke picnic table designed to accommodate a wide audience. These features sit within a densely planted setting conceived to address both current and future ecological challenges. The project thus provides a genuine meeting place encircled by a wooded edge that creates cool islands and refuges for biodiversity. In the shade of wild cherry trees or under the open sky beside generous flowering meadows, lawns for play and relaxation sit alongside fruit trees available for residents to harvest.
From an environmental standpoint, the designers favoured durable, locally sourced or reclaimed materials. Plants drawn from a native palette were installed young to ensure better establishment, long-term growth, and support for local wildlife. The large swale, which both structures the park and diversifies its habitats, also collects rainwater from the site and adjacent streets during heavy rainfall events.
Careful thought was given to the park’s maintenance to preserve its original character and ensure its longevity. Three management tiers have been established: woodland edges left to evolve freely; extensive meadows cut once or twice a year; and lawns mown on a regular basis.
Finally, this landscaping project, built in close collaboration with local stakeholders, has involved residents from the very outset. A number of plants were put in the ground by volunteers during a community planting day. The vegetable planters, dedicated to local residents, will serve as a basis for educational workshops for schools and associations. A partnership with the nearest secondary school also made it possible to integrate its agricultural stream into the project, with students given the opportunity to build and install biodiversity shelters on site. Designed to foster local ownership, the park has every condition in place to be respected and used by as many people as possible for years to come.
> A project led by the City of Sallaumines and Maisons & Cités, as part of the Engagement pour le Renouveau du Bassin Minier (Commitment for the Renewal of the Mining Basin), with the support of the French State (TFPB scheme) and the participation of the Joséphine Baker secondary school (SEGPA Horticulture stream).