Residential towers measuring 50 metres tall in Paris
30/03/2015.
By Hamonic + Masson & Associés and Comte Vollenweider, [PAR] France
metalocus, DANIEL MADERA
metalocus, DANIEL MADERA
The architects Hamonic + Masson & Associes and Comte Vollenweider tried to answer to the request of suburban individual housings into a scale of building apartments. Because of this reason, they had to realize 200 apartments, all of them difference, with good views, light, etc. obtaining so that every apartment has the own identity that defines every individual housing.
Description of the project by Hamonic + Masson & Associés and Comte Vollenweider
Members of the Council of Paris revised the urban regulations for the Masséna- Bruneseau sector in Paris’ southeasterly 13th arrondissement at the city council meeting of Tuesday 16th November 2011. This amendment will allow the construction of residential towers measuring 50 metres tall, and of office blocks measuring up to 180 metres tall.
Functioning as one single building and offering social housing and home ownership opportunities, the project links the strict rigidity of the Avenue de France, the railway landscape, the entrance to the Ivry suburb and finally the transition from a linear city to a vertical one.
The terraces spiral upwards, catching the light at every angle, adding to the allure of this tiered tower, whilst leaving an impression of progressive transformation. The performance resides in the fact that there is no feeling of repetition throughout this structure of 200 homes. The apartments are stacked on top of one another, but each has its own strong, unique identity.
Many people aspire to live in suburban style, individual housing. There are many reasons for this, but in particular being able to create a true identity for one’s own home. Secondly there’s appeal of eating outside, having direct contact with the outdoors from the comfort of your own house, all whilst owning ones own land. These desires must be integrated in to the scale of the apartments in a collective building. We have responded to this search for individual identity, ownership and differentiation by creating multiple exterior spaces and apartments with various, differing typologies within the collective. Living up high gives a sense of privilege: the view, the light and the sunshine... Some say they “have their head in the clouds.” Being in the city whilst also being able to shut oneself off and see the land below and the horizon: living here is like getting away from it all.
The HOME project will be complete at the beginning of 2015 and will be the first housing operation of 50 metres to be built in Paris since the 1970s. It is symbolic of a willingness to reconsider the possibility and the potential of height in Paris.
Text.- Hamonic + Masson & Associés and Comte Vollenweider.
CREDITS. TECHNICAL SHEET.-
Architects.- Hamonic + Masson & Associés, architects and Comte Vollenweider, associated architects.
Collaborators.- Engineering and quantity surveying.- Sibat. Urban planner.- Ateliers Yves Lion. Urban projects developer.- Sémapa. General Contractor.- Bouygues Bâtiment Habitat résidentiel.
Programme.- 96 apartments, 92 social housing units shops and car park.
Client.- Bouygues Immobilier.
Cost.- 24,5 M€ (all inclusive : shop, infrastructure…).
Floor area.- 13,750 sqm (includes shop).
Price per square meter.- 1,777 €/sqm.
Average purchase price.- 10,000 €/sqm.
Type of financing (social housing).- Social landlord : RIVP.
Housing typology.- 1-room to 5-rooms apartment.
Location.- ZAC Masséna, lots M6A2 et M6A3.
Hamonic + Masson & Associés. Hamonic + Masson agency was created in 1997. In 1999, they were the winners of the Grand prix Rénov «Vivre c’est habiter». In 2001/2002 they won the Nouveaux Albums des Jeunes Architectes. They was nominated for the Mies van der Rohe prize in 2003. In 2008, they were founding members of the "French Touch" association. The agency received the AMO Spécial Saint-Gobain prize for the Villiot Rapée (Paris Habitat) operation in 2012. Gaëlle Hamonic was selected amongst successful international female architects in 2013.
The general public became aware of the agency in 2003 through their design of the "Maison Métal" that was displayed in the Parc de la Villette. They opened a series of exhibitions and staged events such as the French Pavilion at the 2008 Venice Biennale with the French Touch collective, the City of Architecture and Heritage, etc. It is presently participating in the debate on height in France. In 2015 the agency will complete and deliver Paris’ first high-rise in 30 years. A second 55m tall building in Nantes is currently in progress.
Gaelle Hamonic. Founder member of the agency Hamonic + Masson in 1997. Graduate of Belleville's École d'architecture. Charter member of the association French Touch in 2008. Vice-president of the Maison of l'architecture in Île-de-France.
Jean-Christophe Masson. Founder member of the agency Hamonic + Masson in 1997. Graduate for Belleville's École d'architecture. Charter member of the association French Touch in 2008. Teacher in École d’architecture in Versailles.
Marie-Agnès de Bailliencourt. Graduate in 2006 for la école d’architecture of Paris-The Villette after having studied in Marseille-Luminy. Is part of Hamonic + Masson agency since 2006, taking charge of the principal projects of the agency. In 2013, she becomes associated of Hamonic + Masson & Associés.