The Shifting Islets Nature Park

The town of Yzernay asked the Vic-Ouest consultancy to assess and enhance an existing wetland. Originally intended for storm-water basins, the plot was soon seen as an opportunity to create a natural space for leisure and relaxation. Alice Stevens works for Vic-Ouest, the town’s project management adviser, on the site analysis and landscape design.

The project stages a living wetland where islets appear and disappear with the rainfall, offering a constantly changing landscape. This natural variation gives visitors a unique sensory experience as they watch the water and vegetation change through the seasons.

The design highlights biodiversity and learning, with trails and viewpoints for observing local wildlife and plants. The spaces are designed to raise awareness of the richness and fragility of wetlands while providing a pleasant setting for walking, relaxing and discovery: an islet walk above the basins, an observation jetty, an open-air theatre, an anglers’ hall and observatory, educational welcome terraces, and replanting of the urban edges.

Combining water management, ecology and leisure, the project shows how a technical facility can become a true living landscape, both functional and beautiful.