Situated in central Paris in the 17th district, the site is part of a new neighbourhood built over a former railyard and around a new park. The site itself stretches between the park and an artificial street, and comprises of 144 social housing units, a 15-classroom primary school and a regional level sports centre.
We took on the challenge of ensuring that the density would not be felt, either at the city level, or by its users, by creating a sense of lightness and openness.
The project stands as a moment of respite within its busy surroundings, extending the presence of the park to the city. This is achieved by stacking the three components of the brief, and splitting the towering volumes, creating a defined yet open corner; one that allows light to flood into the block. The result is an elevated quality of living spaces, basked in sunlight, with balconies wrapped around all sides
The exterior of the building is a modern variation on a typical Hausmanian façade. Materials are woven into a landscape of diamond-shaped patterns, a unifying and identifiable motif featured in the handrails, wall cladding, and brickwork.
The sports centre emerges on both the street and park sides, to capture light through clerestory windows. Inside, the interior glass partitions transform the circulation spaces from what could have been an underground bunker into cathedral-like spaces. Light is guided across the various rooms, piercing through hallways and shimmering along surfaces, creating a sense of brightness and airiness.
To see more amazing entries from this year’s WAN Awards please click here.