French studio Explorations Architecture have completed a social housing block beside one of the narrowest streets in Paris.
The five-storey building provides eighteen apartments in a rundown neighbourhood in the centre of the city.
Timber box-frame windows are staggered across a white stucco exterior to maximise natural light into each flat.
Timber-lined balconies occupy recesses in the facade and overlook a shared courtyard.
This is the second building by Explorations Architecture recently featured on Dezeen – see our earlier story about a sports hall with a curving timber roof that sags in the middle here.
Photography is by Michel Denancé.
Here's a few more words from the architects:
‘Passage de la Brie’ Housing by Explorations Architecture
Explorations architecture has just completed a high density social housing project in the ‘Passage de la brie’ in downtown historic Paris (19ème arrondissement).
The Passage de la brie is one of the narrowest street in Paris (only 4m across).
In 2005, Explorations won the competition to redevelop what had become a real slum in the middle of the City. It took 6 years to complete due to complex planning and construction issues.
The scheme is a contemporary variation on the “immeuble parisien de faubourg” with its white stucco and timber windows. The windows seem randomly arranged in order to maximize views and lighting.
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Design team: Explorations architecture + Integrale 4 engineers
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Client: City of Paris (Siemp)
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Brief: 18 apartments
Net Area: 2000 m²
Cost: 3m €
Timeframe: 2005-2011
I'll state the obvious and say it looks pretty good for social housing. The occupants might even think they're being cared for.
very good architecture, but also a very good budget (1500/m2 for social architecture in Paris is quite good).
middle of the City you say ?!?! a small precision is necesary, 19eme arrondissement is far far away from the "downtown historical center" of Paris. it has some very good neighbourhoods and some very bad but it's not even close to the center of the city.
Ahahah …
Distances in paris are not distances in NY or London …
15 / 20 minutes with the subway from 19eme arrondissement to the Musée du Louvre, in the center of Paris … I don't think it's "far far away" …
nice project. the interplay of stucco and wood would have been stronger w/o wood the picket rails.
What I can say about this residential it's a suitable place to live in , Simple and functional , we can notice the apartments are square or rectangular . Also the exteriors look somehow attractive with those timber-lined frames and balconies with a white color which means to us : pure , clean .. beside the long wide windows which are allowed the light to come in .
I can imagine myself living in one of these apartments ,l'm sure It will be comfortable.