66 units of rental social housing | Nomade Architectes

In May, 2016, NOMADE Architectes delivered 66 units of rental social housing and an underground car park in Bonneuil sur Marne on behalf of EXPANDIEL, part of the VALOPHIS HABITAT Group.

A genuine corner-stone of the urban renewal project that will transform the appearance of the République urban development coordination zone (ZAC).

The urban renewal challenge

For the past dozen years the city of Bonneuil sur Marne, in partnership with the Val de Marne Regional Council, Groupe Valophis, the Ile-de-France Region and the National Urban Renewal Agency (ANRU), has implemented an urban renewal plan for the ZAC République neighborhood.

- buildings not meeting inhabitants' expectations

- outside spaces to be up-graded

- businesses to be revitalized

- a neighborhood connected to the town center

Based on these observations, the city's goal is to do the following:

- improve the living environment

- renew the housing offer

- improve the attractiveness of the ZAC République

It was in this context in 2010 that EXPANSIEL, Groupe Valophis set a public competition for building 66 housing units and an underground car park in Bonneuil sur Marne.

EXPANSIEL awarded the job to NOMADE Architectes.

An urban and architectural reading

This building occupies a strategic position and acts as a transition between the surrounding houses and the taller building of the ZAC République. The buildings' location is a real advantage, for it creates a genuine urban intersection that leaves room for future construction.

With its nearness to major roads leading to the town center, the installation of the tramway and the extension of metro line no. 8 it is not hard to imagine the enthusiasm for this new housing.

The project has attempted to restore the combination of Bonneuil's wishes with the architectural brief so as to create a contextual, sober, dynamic, elegant and contemporary architecture.

It stands on a narrow, L-shaped, steeply sloping tract of land. The building has been broken up to lend breathing space and to reflect the housing pattern around it.

The building stretches over three plots, two of which run along two newly created roads and a middle corner plot.

From the northwestern side of the tract, the building's volumes echo a four-level residential building. The varying levels let in light and provide breathing space for the building's skyline.

By using varying sizes, the urban shapes on the site dialogue between themselves and create architectural unity.

Organizational comfort and features

NOMADE Architectes embraced the idea of having differing housing typologies co-inhabit the same central staircase so as to encourage blending in all stairwells.

The majority of the apartments are walk-through with the interplay of hollows offering double exposure. The inside organization of the units and dimensioning of various spaces have been designed so as to meet the specifications.

Insofar as possible, the living rooms face the south and west in order to benefit from a large amount of sunlight. The length/width relationship and the double exposures enable a maximum penetration of light to the very heart of the apartments.

And the living rooms systematically open onto external extensions so as to increase dweller comfort. Inhabitants' visual pleasure has been enhanced with views onto the inner courtyard and gardens at the foot of the buildings.

The sound comfort of the apartments has been optimized by the thickness of the walls and floors.

Natural ventilation has been arranged to a maximum for all places where dampness may accumulate.

Attention to the environment

The project was also designed to keep the environment in mind in the following ways:

- reducing monthly costs with low window emissivity and low-consumption lights in the common areas

- reducing annual costs: maintenance and upkeep costs by selecting long-lasting materials and simple implementation

- a building that is environment-friendly: a clean worksite and an integrated choice in building materials

- Creating a pleasant landscape in the inner courtyard

- rainwater retention with landscaped garden roofs

The building is insulated on the outside to ensure optimal energy performances (doing away with thermal bridges). The environmental intentions are achieved by creating terraced roofs with gardens to retain rainwater, temperature phase shift and greater inertia that ensures visual comfort and adjusts the spikes of rainwater run-off.

Performances: LCB, Profile A H&E

Materials and architectural identity: a lasting image

 The materials used give the building a sense of lastingness. The use of the same lasting and timeless material – bricks – has been applied to  the buildings to give them a contemporary look.

- using bricks alternating with a white paint gives the building an urbane, elegant and sober look

- the protrusions are covered with gray brick while the hollows and rear are painted white

 The simplicity of the building system (pillars and slabs) made it possible to promote a broader financial envelope with the intention of implementing lasting, resistant wall materials that enhance its handsome appearance.