Tiefgarage METPARK, Place Gambetta, Bordeaux

Project description
From dead space to highlight: the underground car park of the future Underground car park METPARK, Place Gambetta, Bordeaux Urban mobility is evolving – becoming more diverse, inclusive, and sustainable. This transformation also includes existing infrastructure such as car parks. In Bordeaux, the regional operator METPARK is preparing its garages for the future – with holistic renovation concepts and lighting expertise from RIDI. If you asked people to imagine the underground car park of the future, they would likely name qualities such as bright, spacious, safe, and accessible. Lighting plays a crucial role in making this vision a reality – a vision you can already experience in Bordeaux. Here, METPARK has begun renovating and completely redesigning its existing car parks to make them fit for the coming decades. The first of several conversion projects, the underground car park at Place Gambetta in the heart of the Gironde metropolis reopened in November 2024 – and after 11 months of renovation, it is almost unrecognisable. Construction company GTM Bâtiment Aquitaine and architecture studio Félix & Associés created a forward-looking concept for use and design. The result: a transformation of the typically gloomy “non-place” underground car park into a friendly, welcoming, and ecological mobility hub – with bright white and METPARK’s corporate orange, plus new access points such as open bike ramps leading to the “Metstation” on the first basement level. This space now features secure parking for both standard and cargo bikes, as well as package lockers and service stations. The car park as a mobility hub Significant changes are also evident on the lower vehicle levels. “We reduced the number of parking spaces by 10% to 438 across three levels,” explains Nicolas Andreotti, CEO of METPARK. “But we increased the width of each space by 10 cm to 2.40 metres.” Entry and payment are ticketless via license plate recognition, displays show real-time availability, and guidance is provided by a signal system using red and green lights. More than 100 charging stations for electric vehicles are available. Environmental aspects were a top priority throughout the renovation – from recycling paint buckets during construction to ensuring that all installations can be dismantled or reused later, allowing future adaptability to urban mobility developments.How do lighting systems support such concepts? On the one hand, the planners demanded lighting levels in line with the DIN EN 12464-1 standard to ensure safety. Particularly critical is the daylight-dependent transition from outdoor to indoor lighting to allow the eye to adapt comfortably. On the other hand, the luminaires had to be resource-efficient, repairable, and digitally controllable. “After all, lighting in underground garages is needed every day, all day long,” says Eric Drivon, Managing Director of RIDI France. This places high demands on both durability and energy efficiency. The contract was awarded to electrical and installers Santerne Aquitaine, who submitted a concept based on RIDI products. “Our approach was to develop a lighting concept using just two high-efficiency luminaire types, delivering excellent light quality, energy efficiency, and sustainability,” says Eric Drivon. Clean lines: LED luminaires from RIDI At the core of the lighting concept in the Gambetta car park are RIDI LF-T16 moisture-proof luminaires – robust models with clean, architectural lines – accounting for roughly 75% of the 500 total fixtures. These luminaires, with a steel housing and opal PMMA diffuser, are mainly installed above the driving lanes to provide the required illumination. They serve not only as light sources but also as visually integrated technical elements.Equally robust but even more economical are RIDI’s PFLO IP66 surface-mounted water proof luminaires, made entirely from plastic. These replace the LF-T16 fixtures in areas out of direct view – such as above the parking bays. There, hidden behind concrete beams, they provide vertical illuminance on the back walls – a proven design technique to make rooms appear brighter and more spacious. Both luminaire types share the same features: a neutral white light colour (4000 K) for a fresh and activating atmosphere, DALI-compatible drivers for integration into building automation, and use of RIDI-TUBE – a replaceable LED light source. Replaceable RIDI-TUBE: smart and sustainable The RIDI-TUBE technology, introduced more than a decade ago, is now proving to be a forward-thinking solution for today’s sustainability standards. In 24/7 underground car park operation, even long-life LEDs reach the end of their service life after 50,000 to 100,000 hours (5 to 10 years). A RIDI-TUBE, as specified by METPARK, can be replaced by untrained personnel – the luminaire itself remains in place. This reduces waste and conserves resources.And there's no compromise on efficiency: RIDI-TUBEs offer excellent luminous efficacy at 164 lm/W. Additional savings are achieved through lighting control – motion sensors only raise the light level from 10% to full output when needed, and daylight sensors adjust brightness at entrances and exits. The control system also includes a maintenance factor: at commissioning, output is intentionally reduced slightly to match normative lighting requirements, leaving room to compensate for lumen depreciation over time. A high proportion of white-painted surfaces throughout the car park enhances efficiency through reflectivity.In this way, the lighting concept – developed by electrical designers in collaboration with RIDI – contributes both to the sustainability and the inviting aesthetic of the renovated garage. After several months of real-world use, METPARK’s team is so satisfied with the new lighting and design at Place Gambetta that follow-up renovation projects have already received the green light – and will also be equipped with RIDI solutions. 

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Subject area
Traffic routes