THREE SUSTAINABLE APARTMENT BLOCKS

The project site is in Clichy-sous-Bois (a Parisian suburban area) inside the urban distribution plan of Dhuys and part of the overall urban renovation masterplan of Clichy-Montfermeil. The site presents great contrasts, tall council blocks built in the 60s on one side and the Bondy's forest on the other. The project site being precisely on the limit between these two, the forest and the council blocks, draws the project to resolve the transition enhancing these components and strengthening their relationship in a positive way. The result is a project that creates a strong bond between the city and the wild land for the residents to make the most of this unique location, enjoying the substantial green space in front of their apartments. The forest filters the site through the void spaces created by building demolitions generating a gradual transition between built and green environment. The three blocks are oriented in order to make the most of the forest views and to award the apartments with the best south orientation to make the most of natural sunlight. Optimal orientation has been the fundamental principle of the design since the very first project sketches. The facade design responds to orientation and the specific environmental conditions. The balconies on the south side, large and rigorous, liaise with the existing tall council blocks. The brightly coloured louvre panels on the opposite side liaise with the forest and its beautiful changing colours. The coloured louvre panels wrap around to define the side facades. The buildings were awarded the BBC French Low Energy Certification (BBC – 50/65 Kw/h/m²/an) on March 2011. The main sustainable features of the project are: - Compact volumes; - South orientation for most façade openings (344 m2 of the total 595 m2). Despite the peculiar site shape, the project manages at least a south window for each apartment, with 34 of the 48 apartments enjoying large balconies (area 12 m2; length 2m); - The east and west façade openings are protected by louvre panels to avoid heat gain during the summer; - RC structure with reinforced internal insulation system and thermally broken cantilevered slab elements and spine walls; - Condensation gas central heating plant; - Heating solar panels; - Rain water management.