Urban and landscape development
Alongside public and private stakeholders, Colas designs and implements urban and landscape developments that enhance living environments and accelerate the ecological transition of territories. Each project is designed to balance performance, usability, and sustainability.
Developments enhancing urban living environments
Pedestrian zones and bike lanes
We redesign squares, esplanades, and calm streets by prioritizing pedestrian and cyclist continuity, clear wayfinding, and safe crossings. Lighting is designed to provide guidance without glare, signage clarifies usage, and bike lanes naturally connect to transport hubs.
Attention to details — shading, seating, water points — transforms these spaces into pleasant urban oases.
Urban roads and integration of street furniture
Roads are designed as shared, calm spaces. Profiles and materials help reduce speeds and minimize disturbances, while street furniture is planned from the start to guide users without cluttering the space.
Surface drainage and permeable pavements limit runoff and simplify maintenance, benefiting municipal services.
Integrating nature into the city
Creation of green spaces and stormwater management
We design local parks, tree-lined avenues, and green networks that provide shade, summer comfort, and biodiversity. Plant selections are adapted to the local environment and maintained sustainably, with complementary layers (ground cover, shrubs, canopy) that structure the space and enhance user well-being.
At the same time, we manage stormwater at its source: rain gardens, vegetated swales, drainage basins, and retention/detention systems slow, store, and infiltrate water close to where it falls. This surface water management relieves networks, reduces runoff, and helps cool urban spaces.
When designed in coordination, green spaces and stormwater management reinforce each other: vegetation enhances water management, and water management protects the vegetation.
De-paving and plant engineering
Whenever appropriate, we replace hard surfaces with permeable materials, restoring the soil’s ability to absorb water. Plant engineering provides long-term stabilization and restoration: micro-reliefs that retain water, gently treated riverbanks, and layered vegetation that enhances resilience.
These solutions lower perceived temperatures, reduce runoff, and create ecological continuity in the heart of the city.
Benefits for you
Projects serving the territories
Public transport, sports facilities, and shared spaces
Around tramways and BRT lines, we improve safety at crossings, streamline connections, and make station surroundings more intuitive. Esplanades at sports and cultural facilities gain comfort and durability through appropriately designed surfaces, shading, and long-lasting street furniture.
In shared spaces, the hierarchy of uses is expressed through materials and lighting, encouraging calm and considerate behavior.
Project examples: schoolyards, parks, esplanades, promenades
Depaved and shaded schoolyards, parks connected by green and blue networks, cooled public squares, and tree-lined safe promenades: everywhere, we measure the benefits.
Permeable square meters created, retention volumes installed, continuous pathway lengths, and reduced speeds and usage conflicts guide the design, implementation, and maintenance of these spaces.
Frequently asked questions
It is a public space project that combines functionality, roads, greenery, and water management to enhance living environments and resilience. The goal is to balance urban performance with environmental benefits.
By depaving, promoting water infiltration, using permeable surfaces, and selecting plant species adapted to the site (soil, climate, and usage) to create urban cooling zones.
Safety, inclusivity, low-carbon mobility, climate resilience, biodiversity, material efficiency, and controlled operating costs.
Support from design to maintenance: assessments, costed alternatives, construction on occupied sites, project handover, digital as-built documentation, and performance monitoring.
Let’s talk about your project
Do you have an urban and landscape development project?
Square, calm street, bike lanes, park, schoolyard, or public transport surroundings? Our local teams advise you and design the best solution.
