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Sumit Singhal
Sumit Singhal loves modern architecture. He comes from a family of builders who have built more than 20 projects in the last ten years near Delhi in India. He has recently started writing about the architectural projects that catch his imagination. Python in Grenoble, France by MEF – Maison Edouard FrançoisJanuary 29th, 2019 by Sumit Singhal
Article source: MEF – Maison Edouard François There was a building slated for construction on the new Avenue de la Presqu’île de Grenoble, in the “Cambridge” ZAC (joint urban development zone). The client, a property developer with demanding standards, knows its clientele well. Thus, most of the project’s features were already determined in the program: a recessed top floor flanked by two duplexes, a platform pierced with immense glazed shop windows, large balconies and beautiful openings on the façade to allow sunshine and the view to penetrate the interior. With this litany of invariable promotional imperatives, the overall effect was slowly becoming a “predictable” project, altogether rather banal. In addition, the zone’s seismicity imposed the simplification of its volume: Amen.  Image Courtesy © Renaud Chaignet
 Image Courtesy © Renaud Chaignet After several discussions about the orientations of the ZAC with its leading architect, Christian de Portzamparc, we chose to experiment. The building, located at the halfway point of the new avenue, had to be its torch bearer: not the one of the developers, but the one of the architecture, to serve as a bearing point among all the other buildings. The materials and colors of the new construction were left to be decided later, like a series of echoes. Our office entrusted the project to the lead coordinating architect. At this point, it was a jump into the void: we innovate, others will integrate.  Image Courtesy © Renaud Chaignet  Image Courtesy © Renaud Chaignet But how is it possible to be different if everything seems already decided from the outset? However, the die had not yet been cast. The material for the skin still had to be selected. And the skin was able to blur and to camouflage the project and make it disappear. “While admiring a handbag in the Prada boutique, it occurred to me that the very “graphic” skin of a python could be just the thing to blur the whole project. Besides, it would look very chic and the ZAC needs some of that.”  Image Courtesy © Renaud Chaignet  Image Courtesy © Renaud Chaignet The handbag was quickly scanned, digitized and then “mapped” onto the form, which then mysteriously blurs, losing all legibility. The black holes of the windows and the overhanging balconies disappear in these reptilian patterns. Upon viewing the first perspectives, a pharmacist immediately understood the entire scheme and bought the ground floor. The python skin is “pixelated” with regularly spaced diamond-shaped scales. This one here is identically reproduced in cut metal. The plaques are then oxidized to recreate the three colors, then assembled to complete the design of the skin.  Image Courtesy © Renaud Chaignet  Image Courtesy © Renaud Chaignet This highly specialized type of cladding is quite expensive and is only applied to façades requiring some sort of screen. The others, however, can very well have nothing to say and thus remain inexpressive and silent like some of the gables in this city. Maintaining silence is a difficult exercise – definitely not to be confused with loquacious minimalism – silence is by design. These façades are first of all perfectly flat with openings reduced to the essentials. The other windows overlook a small courtyard in a hollow of the façade – a great classic for so-called façades “en attente” (i.e., shaft box window façade). A few chimneys are attached as well to complete the appearance.  Image Courtesy © Renaud Chaignet  Image Courtesy © Renaud Chaignet The whole is set back from the street. All by itself, a pretty wrought iron fence, lighted with candelabra-style street lamps, proudly underscores the alignment. The project is an example of proactive thinking about a postcarbon city. The urban solution, architectural design and thinking about actual ways of inhabiting are combined to achieve three exemplary buildings, which are largely clad in glass, affordable for everyone and high-performing in terms of energy consumption: Python, UP and Panache. Here, the aim is to demonstrate the possibility of innovative and economically reasonable buildings while also providing occupants with a real and attractive quality of life. Our project also aims to give height a new look by inventing radical typologies.  Image Courtesy © Renaud Chaignet  Image Courtesy © Renaud Chaignet The city block was taken into account as a whole, in order to create lively places on a human scale, shared by all. The shared life does not thrive on the sidewalk. It requires intermediate spaces between public and private areas where people can take the time to meet and greet each other. The heart of the city blocks are treated as little village squares, designed to foster encounters. The ramps offer access from the peripheral streets of each block. A house stands in this central space. An updated interpretation of a 19th century tradesmen’s lodge – potentially already existing on this site – or the integration of a mountain chalet in the heart of the already enclosed village, this contemporary “folly” houses a common room on the ground floor. It offers possibilities of shared uses and a striking feeling of detachment, an escape from the city, in the heart of a garden. The location of the latter has been carefully thought out to limit possible noise issues for the apartments while placing it at the center of the project. Each and every one will be able to take advantage of it as desired.  Image Courtesy © Renaud Chaignet  Image Courtesy © Renaud Chaignet Environmental Approach Implementation of energy efficiency The “simplicity” of the design, the treatment of all the thermal bridges makes it possible to meet the commitments made by our office concerning energy security. The energy efficiency is due to the thermal design and the use of very low-temperature underfloor heating, the high-performing control of temperatures per room, highperforming insulation of networks and by the use of heat pumps with a COP of 6 for the heating, and finally, thanks to the overall design and choice of thermal installations. Mini localized technical controls manage energy demand, thereby enabling optimized operating costs.  Image Courtesy © Renaud Chaignet  Image Courtesy © Renaud Chaignet  Image Courtesy © MEF – Maison Edouard François  Image Courtesy © MEF – Maison Edouard François  Image Courtesy © MEF – Maison Edouard François  Image Courtesy © MEF – Maison Edouard François  Image Courtesy © MEF – Maison Edouard François  Image Courtesy © MEF – Maison Edouard François  Image Courtesy © MEF – Maison Edouard François  Image Courtesy © MEF – Maison Edouard François
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Categories: Apartments, House, Housing Development, Parking, Residential, Retail, Shop |
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