One of the central tasks of Baumschlager Eberle Architekten is to "enhance the respective location" with their buildings. The social housing at 15, rue Saint Just in the Batignolles district of Paris, recently opened, confirms this thesis. 250 social housing units and 30 short-term flats have been combined in one building on 9,900 m² GFA. The valued developer is 3F residences, while Coallia and Aurore are responsible for operations and the project was realised by Eiffage.
The challenge for our Paris team, led by Anne Speicher and Mathias Bernhardt, was complex: the Boulevard Peripherique to the north and west causes noise, the wall of the Batignolles cemetery borders the site to the south, and a sports area adjoins to the east. In terms of urban planning, an S-shaped structure was implemented on the site, which allows space for two courtyards while optimising the use of the plot. This gives the residential building a certain morphological dynamism that is good for the location and opens up areas of tension with the surroundings.
"Architecture must be affordable" - this maxim of Baumschlager Eberle Architekten was realised here in an exemplary manner. The calmness of the grid and the conciseness of the plasticity were brought together in a simple yet convincing way: cantilevered ceilings and sloping pillars, which combine several floors of the façades, result in a simple yet coherent organisation of the building envelope. The compact body with its solidity is also effective in terms of noise emissions and energy consumption, which are ten per cent below the French RT2012 performance standard.
"Architecture meets statements" - the intention of Baumschlager Eberle Architekten is particularly important in relation to social housing. Here in Paris, the residents are shown that they are worth something to the client and the architects.
