The 103

Philippe Rol

• Architects

TAA Agency presents one of its projects: “Warehouse,” a new development consisting of a new senior residence with services comprising 96 units over five levels (ground floor + 4) in Toulouse (Occitanie Region, France).

The “Le 103” project involves the construction of a serviced senior residence with 96 units over five levels (ground floor + 4). The ground floor houses common services and 4 apartments, while each upper level includes 23 units ranging from studio to T2bis layouts.

Avenue de Rangueil is undergoing a transformation, marked by new R+4 developments. Recently, three five-story residential buildings have been constructed side-by-side on this street. The plot is bordered to the north by large-scale housing from the 1950s–70s. To the south and east, vegetated spaces define the site’s edges.

photo_credit Philippe Rol — Philippe Rol

The site is located at the edge of the ring road, serving as a transition between the university-dominated urban fabric to the south and residential pavilions to the north. Positioned just before the ring road bridge, the project serves as a gateway into the city. Avenue de Rangueil, which extends into the Saint-Agne district, forms a major access route to central Toulouse. The street is currently evolving, with single-family homes increasingly replaced by R+4 and even R+5 developments. The building’s eastern boundary directly connects the residence’s communal areas to the Rangueil Garden.

The strategic location of the plot makes this building a key element of the street and a marker for access to the city center. A simple massing strategy, a regular façade grid, and the use of red brick—a traditional Toulouse material—help define a high-quality street entrance.

From Chemin du Canal to Rue de Bonnat, three new housing developments have already replaced individual houses. Several architectural principles are echoed in this project, contributing to the redefinition of Avenue de Rangueil’s identity. This senior residence is designed in continuity with these developments: matching height (R+4), street alignment, red brick cladding, and a mix of vertical and wider openings giving access to private outdoor spaces. Grey-toned accents punctuate and animate the façade.

The balconies are staggered and project from the façade, lending it a dynamic appearance and contributing to the building’s contemporary character. Despite the repetitive modularity of the units, the varying balcony arrangements prevent visual monotony.

Living rooms feature large windows opening onto balconies, offering views of surrounding green areas. The center of each balcony is also glazed, ensuring continuity of sightlines and enhancing the sense of spaciousness indoors. The building’s parapet is topped with diagonally cut bricks, creating a sculpted relief effect.

The metal gabled roof accommodates all necessary technical equipment, while its low slope makes it invisible from the public realm, giving the impression of a flat roof in line with nearby constructions.

The central section of the roof is recessed to house the building’s mechanical systems. Embedded in the roof structure, they are hidden from public view. By building along the plot’s eastern boundary, the project replaces an unremarkable hedge and fence—deemed of low phytosanitary value—with a built edge that serves as a new urban marker and creates a transition between Rangueil Garden and the opposite Roseaux Garden.

This design also seeks to transform Rangueil Garden into a central green space, strengthening the link between this public area and the surrounding housing. The building’s relationship with the park actively contributes to the transformation of the street. Garden paths connect Avenue de Rangueil to Rue Emile Guyou, improving the neighborhood’s circulation network and reinforcing the park’s role as both a thoroughfare and a place of relaxation.

Thus, the residence’s boundary promotes the integration of Rangueil Garden into a denser urban fabric, enhancing housing comfort while preserving the garden’s public character. The site’s vegetation identity is respected and enhanced with new tree alignments that echo the row of plane trees on the opposite side.

The redesigned entrance sequence into the park strengthens the connection between the residential and public realms. The park becomes a vital part of neighborhood life and enhances the quality of the residential experience.

Unbuilt areas are not treated as leftover space, but rather as assets integrated into the architectural composition. This creates a healthy interaction between public and private spaces, generating a cohesive urban ensemble.

To ensure privacy, daytime living areas open onto loggias—providing recessed openings and ensuring greater intimacy. At night, the park is closed, preserving the residents’ privacy even in proximity to public green space.