Ameller & Dubois Associés

34 lodgings, shops, and a foyer for young handicapped people

Nantes Habitat awarded Ameller, Bubois and Associates the construction of a mixed development that includes lodgings, activity centers and a safe house, at the far North-Western end of the ZAC Bottière-Chénaie, in Nantes. («ZAC» stands for «Zone d'Aménagement Concerté», and is the French equivalent of a development zone given a special distinction to facilitate the dialogue between the public and private powers. In short, a development where tenants have their say in the design.) There were some guidelines set. This housing development was to be as exemplary in its conception as in its creation. Its architecture had to be attractive to the future tenants while relying on ecological construction.

Taking place between a pedestrian alleyway lined with trees in the North, and a much more modest road (rue Diane Fossey), the chosen establishment is organised in three buildings. This way, it works within the urban environment but remains within the wanted proportions. The program aims to be the final touch on the urban composition alongside neighborhing constructions.

The first two buildings are shaped in a T with one six-story wing and a three-story wing, adding a « sculpted touch » to the project--relatively compact with sections of the facades that are tucked in or emerge. The apartments benefits from the thickness of the facade that's prolonged off the salon, creating a homogeneous whole of superimposed loggias. The composition creates a rotating movement that gives the project a clear role as the prow of this part of the ZAC. The idea of these perpendicular sections, carefully assembled, gives the building a less imposing look than its scale might indicate; it becomes more individualized. We kept in mind the alluring qualities sought after by the project manager. The building is set up so that each tenant can recognize its apartment from the exterior, facilitating a wholesome sense of appropriation. The attention placed on orientation, through the turning motion of the whole, favors the South and the West. This reinforces the sustainable, or «green», construction of the project by taking advantage of the views and the sun exposure, while mitigating the pitfalls of having too many neighboring properties, each fighting for space.

The creation of two access points, one for each of the buildings, favors the individualization of the communal spaces. The delimitation between public and private property is clear, a common parvis giving access to the three buldings. True to the specified requirements, the private gardens are set in the East, in such a way that they conform visually with the neighboring interior plaza, and prolong to the West the downstairs lodgings. Set-up at the very limit of the North-West end of the property, leaning against the building next door, the parking on-ramp inserts itself naturally into the composition.

In proscribing to the specifics of the site, the project respects the breadth of the urban and architectural rules in place. The building height plan, the base, the play of the terraces, the openings or the loggias reveal an urban object of quality that deserves to be desired. The residence is seen as a construction carefully integrated within the ZAC, but also as an original and dynamic composition, embracing perfectly its status of landmark at the point of the urban isle.

Matter and materials

The architectural vocabulary is sober, the forms are powerful but simple, clear and legible. The project calls for materials that harken back to the context of the locality. The base anchors this project in the site, taking into account the incline of the terrain. It is built using a double wall of stamped concrete in order to assure sustainability and base resistance. The housing stories are draped in minerals with shale bricks from a Nantes quarry. The loggias are entirely dressed in wood, as much of their lateral surfaces as on their enclosures, consisting of folding blinds. The foyer alternates between the vertical glass panes of the rooms and salons and wooden dressings. The materials and the forms alternates between contrasting and complimentary, thus reinforcing the architectural will.

Careful urban integration, performance and truth of the materials implemented, reach for noble materials and certified, greening give this project an optimal environmental value. The quality of life of the residents and visitors is at the heart of this study that favors a strong urban integration. The sculptural treatment of the isle, respectful of the its future use and the meaning of the materials, enriches the perception of this habitat. What makes sense in an urban space is also what a place desirable to live in.

CLIENT
Nantes Habitat

ENGINEERS
Noble Ingénierie