Country/Region: France

Transformation of Tour Bois-le-Prêtre Housing Block

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Transformation of Tour Bois-le-Prêtre Housing Block

Urban Design Services and infrastructure Quality Inclusion

Main objectives of the project

This 16-storey high-rise block in Paris was transformed instead of being demolished. New flooring was added to each level, creating closable terraces for winter gardens and balconies. The apartments were improved with more natural light and energy efficiency. The small windows were replaced with large openings for panoramic views. The entrance hall was refurbished, removing unnecessary rooms and making it open and transparent. Collective activity areas and lifts were added, and prefabricated construction allowed residents to stay during renovations.

Date

  • 2011: Rehabilitación

Stakeholders

  • Architect: Lacaton & Vassal architectes
  • Architect: Frédéric Druot Architecture; 

Location

Continent: Europe
City: Paris
Country/Region: France, Paris

Description

Built in the early 60s along the ring road on the northern periphery of Paris, this high-rise block of 16 storeys contains 96 apartments. Instead of demolition, which was the first option that was considered, a project of transformation of the existing building was decided upon.The project proposed a generous expansion of the apartments. On each level, new flooring, which was built as a self-supporting structure, was added onto the entire periphery of the tower. This design strategy allowed for the extension of all the rooms by creating closable terraces that could act as winter gardens as well as balconies for each unit.

At the same time the overall quality and comfort of the apartments was improved with additional natural light and the reduction of energy consumption for heating. The existing facades with their small windows were removed and they were replaced by large transparent openings so that the residents can enjoy the exceptional panoramic views over Paris. The entrance hall on the ground floor was refurbished and it was made level with the exterior. All the useless rooms and installations were removed in order to make the entryway an open and transparent space through which the new garden can be accessed. On the sides of this space, areas for collective activities were established and two lifts were installed to improve the vertical circulation to the apartments. The construction was carried out with prefabricated elements so that the inhabitants could remain in the apartments during the renovation of the building.

Authors:

Cité Internationale (First Phase)

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Cité Internationale (First Phase)

Main objectives of the project

Date

  • 1995: Construction

Stakeholders

  • Architect: Renzo Piano Building Workshop

Location

Continent: Europe
City: Lyon
Country/Region: France, Lyon

Description

Authors:

Boileau Apartments, Transformation of an Office Block into Housing

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Boileau Apartments, Transformation of an Office Block into Housing

Main objectives of the project

Date

  • 1995: Construction

Stakeholders

  • Architect: Ateliers Lion Associés Architectes Urbanistes

Location

Continent: Europe
City: Paris
Country/Region: France, Paris

Description

Authors:

Social Housing rue des Lyanes

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Social Housing rue des Lyanes

Main objectives of the project

Date

  • 1997: Construction

Stakeholders

  • Architect: Odile Seyler

Location

Continent: Europe
City: Paris
Country/Region: France, Paris

Description

Authors:

Housing on Boulevard de Belleville

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Housing on Boulevard de Belleville

Urban Design

Main objectives of the project

Date

  • 1989: Construction

Stakeholders

  • Architect: Frederic Borel Architect

Location

Continent: Europe
City: Paris
Country/Region: France, Paris

Description

Authors:

Fundació Mies van der Rohe Barcelona

Rue de Meaux Housing Complex

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Rue de Meaux Housing Complex

Main objectives of the project

This building is situated in a densely populated area of Paris. Its rectangular shape integrates with the surrounding urban fabric, but its center features a carved-out interior green space. The building is divided into three sections by narrow slots, with the garden creating a surprising contrast to the bustling street. Residents access their building entrance by walking through the garden, adding to the element of surprise. The building offers a variety of apartment sizes and layouts, with model apartments designed to be flexible and neutral. Each of the 220 apartments has two exposures, overlooking both the garden and the urban neighborhood.

Date

  • 1991: Construction

Stakeholders

  • Architect: Renzo Piano Building Workshop

Location

Continent: Europe
City: Paris
Country/Region: France, Paris

Description

The building is located in a densely populated area of the 19th arrondisement in Paris. The building, with a rectangle general shape, can be thought of as a mass built to fit into the existing urban fabric on its outside perimeter while its center has been "carved out" to accommodate an interior green space. Two narrow slots divide the constructions in there sections on the garden. The contrast between the bustle of the street and the calm of the garden creates hence, an effect of surprise for the residents who must walk through the garden to reach their building entrance. The volumetric diversity of the building results in a wide variety of apartments. However, for the buildings bordering the garden and for the blocks on the east and west separated by the slots, model apartments with fairly neutral and flexible layouts were created.

Essentially they comprise a large crosswise room facing north-south with a balcony or winter garden at either end; a conventional “night” area is adjacent. Therefore each apartment of the 220 created, has two exposures: the garden and the urban neighbourhood.

Authors:

Private Housing

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Private Housing

Urban Design

Main objectives of the project

This new apartment block embraces formal invention and celebrates materials and nature. The design optimizes the site and utilizes prefabrication techniques for efficiency. The building's curved shape gradually rises from three to six storeys, culminating in a striking prow. The exterior is treated as a massive rock face, which will transform into a stunning vertical garden. The walls consist of prefabricated concrete panels clad in steel wire cages filled with stones and rock plant seeds. Balconies, some enclosed by wooden fencing, add further character to the building. The stone cages evoke a sensual, primeval quality reminiscent of ancient dry stone walls. Witnessing their transformation into a modern hanging garden will be captivating.

Date

  • 2000: Construction

Stakeholders

  • Architect: Edouard François

Location

Continent: Europe
City: Montpellier
Country/Region: France, Montpellier

Description

Attempting to invest speculative housing with a measure of formal invention is generally a thankless enterprise. However, the design for this new apartment block uninhibitedly explores and celebrates materials and nature. The brief from the property development company was for 64 flats and 47 parking spaces on a tight budget.
The architect s proposal followed a familiar and logical pattern based on making the most economical use of the site and exploiting techniques of prefabrication. For the most part the flats are single-oriented either to the east or west, and are entered from a spinal central corridor. The curved block inscribes a gentle arc in the landscape and gradually steps up from three to six storeys along its length, terminating in a prow at the south end.

The most radical aspect of the scheme is the treatment of the exterior as a massive rock face that will eventually bloom into a spectacular vertical garden. Moored on a solid stone base, the walls are formed from a series of prefabricated concrete panels measuring 2.77 by 1.35 metres. The external face of each panel is clad in a layer of steel wire cages, containing loosely compacted stones. The model is clearly the gabion cage, typically employed in river and highway engineering as a retaining element. Panels assembled in cages were set within the steel formwork and studded with a double layer of frost-resistant pebbles. A layer of sand followed, then seeds of rock plants contained in grow bags. The end of the cages are set within a layer of concrete that forms the inner face of the panel. On removing the formwork, the sand was gently shaken out, leaving the soil and seeds. A watering system installed between the joints of the panels will nurture the emerging plants. The elevations are also articulated by various types of balconies, some enclosed by rustic wooden fencing, others by timber panels. Larger enclosed cabin-style balconies on the east side are supported on angled steels tripods and connected to individual flats by narrow walkways.

The stone cages have a curiously sensual, primeval quality, like the ancient dry stone walls in fields. It will be fascinating to witness their slow metamorphosis into a modern hanging garden.

Authors:

Europan – Roubaix, France

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Europan – Roubaix, France

Mismatches
Urban Design

Main objectives of the project

Date

  • 2010: Construction

Stakeholders

  • Architect: Bathile Millet

Location

Continent: Europe
City: Roubaix
Country/Region: France, Lille

Description

Villa Sarrail, a diverse and densified development, preserves the typological variety of the original Europan project. The architect reconstituted the building frontage and adjusted volumes to maintain typological variations. Multiple typologies and entrances were incorporated to promote diversity and encounters. The layout plan appears homogeneous, with dual-aspect apartments on the main street and rooftop houses on Rue Neuve. External spaces such as balconies and patios connect different parts of the development. The aim was to achieve social diversity while respecting densification requirements. The project also emphasizes the separation between public and private spheres and includes a route connecting the city and the residential heart of the island, along with housing extensions and shared spaces. The implementation process enhanced the project's morphological, functional, and social aspects. Villa Sarrail The architect succeeded to keep in the development of her project the typological variety present in the original Europan project.She reworked the project in two stages: first reconstituting the building frontage on all the plots, then changing the volumes in keeping with the typological variations. Multiple typologies to generate diversity, multiple entrances to facilitate encounter, are the basic principles of the team. The layout plan gives a deceptive impression of homogeneity: the frontage on the main street consisted of dual-aspect apartments, with small independent attic units above resembling rooftop houses. On Rue Neuve was a block of split-level apartments, and opposite the public car park, five four-storey townhouses. The different parts of the operation were bounded by decked external spaces, balconies or patios, available for use by the occupants.

The idea was to involve a social mix in a large typological variety while respecting the requirement of densification. Finally, this hypothesis was further amplified in terms of diversity through the work of precise distance between public and private spheres, by the development of a route between the city and residential heart of island, through the treatment of housing extensions and of shared spaces. Its implementation has revealed to all players in the operation of a value-added analysis process more complex but nevertheless leading the project on enriched morphological, functional or social tracks.

Links

Authors:

Housing Block, rue Ménil-Montant

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Housing Block, rue Ménil-Montant

Urban Design

Main objectives of the project

Date

  • 1987: Construction

Stakeholders

  • Architect: Gaudin

Location

Continent: Europe
City: Paris
Country/Region: France, Paris

Description

Authors:

Student Residence and Reversible Car Park

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Student Residence and Reversible Car Park

Urban Design

Main objectives of the project

Date

  • 2020: Construction

Stakeholders

  • Architect: Stephanie Bru (1973 France)
  • Architect: Alexandre Theriot (1972 France)
  • Architect: Quentin Madiot (1991 France)
  • Architect: Adrien Verschuere (1976 Belgium)
  • Architect: Benoît Delpierre (1981 Belgium)
  • Architect: Justine Devergnies (1989 France)

Location

Continent: Europe
City: Saclay
Country/Region: France

Description

185 social student housing units associated with a reversible car park (housing/offices) with a superstructure of 500 spaces, sports hall, multi-purpose hall and shops
The volume of the building is based on the rectangular shape of the land and assumes its U-shape which encloses the interior of the block. This interior, treated as an open-air garden, is the real lung of the project. Rather than a building, the project should even be presented as an economical and equipped structure. The programme brings together several disparate elements (student accommodation, communal facilities, shops, public and private car parks). The distribution of the different programmes follows a logic of superposition: a double-height ground floor hosting the shops and collective spaces of the student residence; two levels R+1 and R+2 in a large open plateau for public parking spaces; at levels R+3, R+4 and R+5, three levels of housing; and finally an attic level hosting the upper levels of some duplex housing.

As well thought out on the scale of the car as on that of the individual, the building seeks a way between a strictly functionalist approach and that constrained by domestic standards. The clarity of these structural responses allows the building to offer great flexibility and reversibility of use. A Housing program in the heart of the Plateau de Saclay raises some questions: It means to imagine how to live together in an urban environment, founded on its well thought landscape qualities and its situation in a large scale territory. This future hub of activities is located in the centre strip of the Quartier de l’école Polytechnique. The way it has been drawn looks like an American campus inspiration, mostly because of its continuous organisation, which forms a series of compact and opened blocks. The project is part of this strong urban system. Beyond the regularity of this drawing, the question of reversibility has already been well thought, especially regarding mobility.

Our project is founded on these future possible mutations, of uses and space. In its main lines, the project adopts the same morphology of its neighbours. It enhances the existing strong urban lines, but adds a large central space. This large shared garden is the main link between all the different activities of the project. The project distinguishes itself thanks to the presence of this garden. It brings views and breathing, at every floor.

The structure and the program take part in a unique logic. The project is ruled by a sense of economy, in space and in function. It stands as its identity. Following this idea, the building is as compact as it can be. The logic of implantation develops 16m large floors, allowing light to enter, following the whole circumference of the building. The inside spaces are also quite generous, with a 2m50 high for housing and 2m75 for the car park. The ground floor is even higher, 5m25 high, in order to give the possibility to add mezzanines. The strong structure is not only rigorous but also generous.

In the end, the structural grid is more generous than the one usually used in housing programs. The efficient structure is a real choice, using concrete slabs and columns, and allows to get rid of the usual transversal concrete walls. It reinforces the possibilities of variations in the organization: For example, the conversion between a T4 in T1 is very simple.

Authors: