Caisse d'Epargne de Meriadeck à Bordeaux en Gironde

Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The building of the Bordeaux Savings Bank in Mériadeck, designed by architect Edmond Lay between 1974 and 1977, embodies a striking testimony of the sculpture-architecture of the second half of the 20th century. Located on an angular plot of 3,238 m2 between a residential building and a shopping centre, it stands out for its 17 levels organized in successive circular plateaus, breaking with the cruciform buildings of the neighborhood. Its exterior, with sloping walls and stone trimmings, contrasts with an interior structured by curves and a large central atrium, reflecting the influence of Frank Lloyd Wright on Lay, winner of the Grand Prize of Architecture in 1984.

Ranked a historic monument in April 2014 and then by order of 14 January 2022, the building housed the regional headquarters of the Savings Bank until 2017. After this departure, a restructuring was undertaken to install lofts, shops and a cultural centre with a 300-seat amphitheater in the basement. This project is part of the rehabilitation of the Mériadeck district, rebuilt between the 1950s and 1980s to replace an area deemed unhealthy since the 18th century. The building, often criticized for its aesthetics, remains a symbol of the bold urbanist choices of the time.

Edmond Lay, in collaboration with architects Dugravier and Layre & Cassou, designed this building to replace the former Bordeaux Savings Bank installed since 1847 opposite the cathedral. The architectural bias, marked by a visual density and irregularity of forms, aims to create a dialogue between public and private space. Despite the controversies, the building is now recognized as a major architectural heritage, fully protected since 2022, including its interior and exterior elements.

The neighbourhood of Mériadeck, on the outskirts of Bordeaux, was the subject of a vast post-Second World War reconstruction plan, transforming a delapidated historical area into a modern complex. The Savings Bank, by its volume and style, embodies this desire to break with the past, while integrating traditional materials such as stone. Its inscription and its ranking among historical monuments underline its heritage value, despite the aesthetic reserves expressed by part of the public and local media.

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