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Architects: Babin+Renaud
- Area: 1592 m²
- Year: 2015
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Photographs:Cécile Septet
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Manufacturers: Forbo Flooring Systems, Baudry, Bricard, Casalgrande Padana, DAVAL, Duratex, ERHET, EURODALLES, Griesser, LUCAS REHA, MC FRANCE, Sogal, Thorn, Tumo, VERRE, Vachette, thyssenkrupp
Text description provided by the architects. Standing at the tip of a triangle-shaped plot of land in Paris' 11th arrondissement, this new building creates visual transparency in the space between street and inner courtyard by means of a rational design that liberates it from the site's cramped nature.
The corner is given expression by the step-like receding roof that slims down to a simple, strict line.The restraints imposed by the receding roof are enhanced by its telling rigor and simplicity.
The pattern of the street-side façade expresses this rigor with the regular spacing of the tall, narrow picture windows, with variations obtained by alternating the opening or closing of the folding shutters and the sublte reflection of natural light on the anodized aluminum. Their narrownness enables the picture windows to be greater in number, especially on the street corner, while preserving the flats' inner privacy.
There are three flats per floor. All the principal rooms are located on the street side with their backs to a service strip located along the courtyard side.
Turning the site's narrowness to an advantage, the kitchens and bathrooms are placed on the courtyard-side wall thus enjoying natural light. In order to provide double exposure at the core of the collective living space, living rooms are located either in the corner space or in line with the kitchen.
The outdoor entrance and landings rise vertically, alternating open views from each landing onto the city or the inner courtyard. The goal has been to give occupants a gradual pathway from the public space of the street to the private space of the flats by means of a compact design that re-interprets the "city's substance" that is missing here.
