As of Automn 2018, two buildings containing 142 new, bright and open spaced homes will be established along the “Route de la Glâne”, in the area of Beaumont southwest from the centre of Fribourg. For a modest rent, the future inhabitants of these new apartments, of 1 ½ to 4 ½ rooms and loggias with an east-west exposure, will benefit from beautiful clear views on the Fribourg Pre-Alps. The ground floor will accommodate commercial and/or administrative space. The general contractor Proxiland Real Estate SA is the initiator of this project, developed in association with qubb.architectes. The investment, estimated at more than 50 million Swiss Francs, is financed by a prominent Swiss Romand investment fund specialising in property rentals. A public inquiry for this project has just been submitted to the Town Council for approval.
The construction project bases itself on the neighbourhood plan “PAD Beaumont Sud”, developed with the cooperation of the urban planning services of Fribourg City, submitted to a public enquiry in the summer of 2013. Consisting of 2 elongated buildings of 6 and 8 storeys, it establishes a new urban front for “Route de la Glâne” at the entrance to the city. The densification of zones situated along this axis, linking Fribourg main train station with “Platy” (Villars-sur-Glane) is the answer to the cantonal master plan and the local development plan (PAL 2017), It follows the example of the re-development of the former Boxal factory sector and the new BlueFactory neighbourhood.
Multi-Storey housing
The choice of a mixed programme is responding to the location composition. 142 apartments of 1 ½ to 4 ½ rooms are on the higher floors thus benefiting from optimal sunlight and views. With the exception of the studio apartment (located at the angles), with multiple views, all the apartments are structured from east to west. Daytime living areas (parlour, dining room and kitchen) are designed on the street side with a loggia (winter garden) to reduce the noise generated by traffic from “La Glane” road.
The choice of a mixed programme is responding to the location composition. 141 apartments of 1 ½ to 4 ½ rooms are on the higher floors thus benefiting from optimal sunlight and views. With the exception of the studio apartment (located at the angles), with multiple views, all the apartments are structured from east to west. Daytime living areas (parlour, dining room and kitchen) are designed on the street side with a loggia (winter garden) to reduce the noise generated by traffic from “La Glane” road.
Public areas at ground level
Via the upper ground floor, inhabitants have access to a tree lined park extending into the existing green area of the Beaumont neighbourhood. On the street side, the ground floor of each building has 1,700m2 of commercial and/or administrative areas. They open to the southeast, on a wide public zone dedicated to pedestrians and soft mobility from the street right up to the buildings. An outside passageway between both buildings offers a public gateway between the street and the park.
Quality construction for a moderate rent
Developing a long term vision, the investor adopts a careful policy regarding rents. Those of Beaumont Sud will be affordable. This does not affect the quality of the construction asserts Laurent Chappuis, director of Proxiland Real Estate Ltd: “Rather than minimise on quality, we prefer to reduce our margin thus maintaining a high standard construction while respecting the budget frame set by the contractor.” The selected building materials also take into account environmental concerns. Windows are constructed in wood-aluminium, “We pay particular attention at the planning stage to find ingenious solutions”. The façade drawings reveal a large proportion of vitreous surfaces from floor to ceiling offering an optimal visual release. Rooms facing the street have a natural ventilation system incorporated protecting against the noise. The whole construction is fuelled by a district heating network.
Live and work just a step away from the city centre
From a practical point of view, besides the school, sports and commercial infrastructures (Beaumont Centre at 500m and Denner at 50m), the neighbourhood is served by TPF (transports publics Fribourgeois) bus lines 5 and 336 with a frequency of every 9 minutes arriving in 6 minutes at the Fribourg main train station and the whole public transport network. A place to live which suits families and seniors alike as well as active people and companies.
