The architecture firm Barrault Pressacco just delivered a building in the 18th arrondissement of Paris built using a timber and hempcrete framework and containing 15 units of social housing and two shops. Located along the rue Marx Dormoy, in a heterogeneous urban landscape bordered by broad railyards, the project revisits the traditional construction of a thick façade through the use of wood and hempcrete.
This project for social housing and shops is located between the rue Marx Dormoy and the rue Philippe de Girard, in a heterogenous urban landscape structured by the broad railyards of the Gare du Nord and the Gare de l’Est.
The location of this lot at the northern tip of the city block generates deep and transversal geometry. The project by Barrault Pressacco benefits from this particular situation and uses its distinct dual addresses to orient the various uses. On the rue Marx Dormoy, two shops ensure a continuously active ground floor. Along the rue Philippe de Girard, access to the apartments benefits from a peaceful domestic environment. Above, six levels contain 15 units of social housing. The building fills the entire depth of the lot, over 22 m, and presents a façade on each of the two streets. The resulting thickness led to the creation two small courtyards, both in answer to the neighboring voids, and to provide natural light, views and cool breezes to the new apartments. The project combines the Parisian tradition of a thick façade and an awareness of current environmental paradigms. Through the skillful manipulation of natural materials that emit very little CO2, the architects Barrault Pressacco revisit a typological vocabulary and aesthetic already present in Paris. Cantilevered constructions are an integral part of Parisian architectural heritage and the building pays homage to this formal heritage.
The standard floor plan is divided into three apartments, each of which are cross-ventilated and benefit from multiple orientations with openings onto the street and courtyards. The fold of the bow window takes full advantage of the living rooms, enhancing the linearity of the façade and the corner openings. The arrangement of the inner courtyards, a Parisian tradition if there ever was one, ensures natural light, additional views and an interior calmness in contrast with the surrounding dense and noisy urban environment. The planted courtyards also function as wells of coolness benefiting the surrounding apartments. Natural light is given a privileged place throughout the building, with 85% of the usable surface receiving it, and nearly every bathroom and kitchen enjoying an opening onto the courtyard.
Project Sheets
15 units of social housing + 2 shops
LM ingénieur, structure, thermal, HVAC
ALP ingénierie, economy
Tempere Construction, general contractor
Dimension Services, wood frame
SMB, hemp concrete
Bio-based Label
Plan climat ville de Paris (RT2012-20%)
Floor area: 1,300 m² (13,993 sq ft)
Living area: 988 m² (10,635 sq ft)
€2,580,000 excl. VAT
Delivery May 2021
