Assuming that the city is a complex body, the firm superimposed elements found on site: townhouses at the base, a housing block from the 1950's in the middle, and on the roof, single family homes.
The firm organized them as archetypes to be read from bottom to top. The complexity of this project lies in the vertical superposition of these structural elements, shifting the three typologies independently.
Beyond the creation a new retail shops, the perception of centrality is also reinforced by the creation of numerous entries, gateways, lines of sight, and alleys that open the block to passers-by. These anchor the project in its context. The townhouses have separate entries from the sidewalk. Their copper, zinc, and tile facades complete the scenography.
The quality of the housing plays a central role in this new story: the apartments open on two opposite sides and meet the highest standards of energy efficiency.
Photo credits: Paul Raftery