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In the heart of the Grenoble Peninsula, PEOPLE CONNECT embodies a new generation of mixed-use property developments: open, service-oriented, sustainable and closely linked to the local area’s needs. Commissioned to carry out a project management consultancy (OPC) assignment for Youse and Redman, setec opency supported the coordination of this project before establishing its Grenoble-based team there. This represents a unique blend of project management and local roots.
In Grenoble, on Place Nelson Mandela, PEOPLE CONNECT is situated at the heart of the Presqu’île ZAC (Joint Development Zone), an area undergoing rapid transformation where research, innovation, economic activity, housing, services and sustainable transport converge. Developed as a joint venture by Redman and Youse, the development spans approximately 12,500 m² and comprises a 103-room 4-star hotel, office and co-working spaces, a fitness centre, a restaurant, as well as wellness and social areas.
A mixed-use development to serve the needs of the Presqu’île
PEOPLE CONNECT has been designed as a multifunctional space, capable of catering to the diverse range of people who live, work or stay on the Presqu’île: researchers, businesses, students, working people and business visitors. The project’s organisers have set out to create a unifying space for living and working, directly attuned to the neighbourhood’s needs and to Grenoble’s innovation ecosystem.
The development therefore brings together complementary functions: accommodation, workspaces, catering, sport, wellbeing, meeting spaces and associated services. This mix of uses is intended to help make Place Nelson Mandela a more active, vibrant space that is more open to its urban surroundings.
A project that forms part of a sustainable urban development initiative
The Grenoble Peninsula has been awarded the ‘Écocité’ label and is part of an ambitious environmental initiative in which sustainable mobility, the energy transition, the quality of public spaces and adaptation to climate change take centre stage. Against this backdrop, PEOPLE CONNECT is aiming for ambitious environmental certifications, including E3-C1, NF HQE Sustainable Building (Very High Performance level) and Ready to Osmoz.
The project also incorporates features that promote more responsible design: solar panels, reduced water consumption, a focus on soft mobility, cycle spaces, planted terraces, a green roof and landscaping that helps to mitigate heat islands. These choices are in line with the Presqu’île’s strategic direction, which focuses on developing high-performance buildings, green spaces, active transport and the use of geothermal energy at neighbourhood level.
The OPC’s mission: to facilitate the coordination of a complex operation
On the PEOPLE CONNECT project, setec opency was commissioned by Youse and Redman to support the project by managing deadlines, coordinating studies and works, overseeing the general organisation of the site, and facilitating communication between the project partners. This OPC (scheduling, management, coordination) assignment is particularly important in a dense urban context, constrained by interfaces with public spaces, transport networks and neighbourhood activities.
From the very early stages, the challenge was to establish a clear plan, coordinate the design studies, anticipate site organisation constraints and clarify the interfaces between the various stakeholders. Setec Opency’s internal methodology places particular emphasis on general and detailed planning, progress monitoring tools, situation analysis, action plans and the management of technical, organisational and spatio-temporal interfaces.
During the construction phase, the project management role involves monitoring progress, identifying deviations, readjusting schedules where necessary, organising works, following up with the relevant contractors and ensuring the smooth flow of technical information between stakeholders. This approach aims to provide the client with a clear overview of progress, critical issues and the decisions required to keep the project on track.
From the building site to the workplace: a unique continuity
Another distinctive feature of this project lies in the follow-up action taken by setec opency: after helping to coordinate the project, the company chose to base its Grenoble team at the co-working space run by the Youse Group in partnership with Now Coworking. This decision creates a special link with PEOPLE CONNECT: the project is not only a benchmark for engineering and coordination, but also serves as a day-to-day workplace for the local teams.
This continuity lends a human dimension to the project. It illustrates setec opency’s ability to engage closely with the practical challenges of a project – deadlines, interfaces, organisation and dialogue between partners – whilst establishing a long-term presence in the Grenoble area.
A project designed to benefit Mandela Square and its future users
By establishing itself on Nelson Mandela Square, PEOPLE CONNECT is helping to revitalise a strategic area of the Presqu’île. The building faces Y.Spot, follows the elliptical shape of the square and forms part of an urban landscape designed to forge links between innovation, services, transport and everyday life.
For future users, the project’s appeal lies in this combination: working, meeting, staying, dining, taking part in sporting activities or accessing services all within the same complex. For the neighbourhood, it helps to enhance the range of services and the vibrancy of the Presqu’île, both during the day and in the evening, whilst contributing to the appeal of the Grenoble area.
Through PEOPLE CONNECT, setec opency is supporting a development that reflects the city’s contemporary transformations: a mix of uses, simplicity, coordination between stakeholders, effective management of interfaces and a focus on future users. By choosing to base its Grenoble team there, setec opency is extending this story beyond the OPC assignment: that of a project we have helped to drive forward, and which we are now preparing to experience on a daily basis.
