Quai Henri IV
Located on the riverbanks of the Seine in the 4th arrondissement, the mixed apartment building contains 70 social housing units, 74 privately owned apartments and 1 kindergarten. The building elegantly blends in the urban context of the Quai Henri IV, by reasserting the courtyard structure and bringing consistence to the existing block.
Façade
The urban constraints and regulations of the site were carefully analysed in order to meet the requested density. The spatial potential, offered by the curved upper floors offers as much floor space as possible.
The stepped structure follows Fibonacci’s harmonious proportions and converts the long balconies into wide terraces. The difference between the social housing units and the privately owned apartments is visible in a variation of the balcony slabs, most prominently at the cuts on the façade and supports its shimmering appeal.
The stepped structure follows Fibonacci’s harmonious proportions and converts the long balconies into wide terraces. The difference between the social housing units and the privately owned apartments is visible in a variation of the balcony slabs, most prominently at the cuts on the façade and supports its shimmering appeal.
Fit the context
The innovative design of the volume creates three courtyards with gentle vegetation and allows magnificent views over the Seine. The apartments are organized around vertical stairways, which also operate as light shafts and allow light to enter deeply into the building. The building contains a wide variety of housing types (90 types), resulting from both, the volume and a study on new types of living and family constellations. The volume is enfolded in a façade, which alternates transparent and opaque elements, laying out broad balconies and emphasizing the external openness of the flats and the remarkable panorama offered by the construction. The façade itself is punctuated by an alternation of bay windows and metallic panels made of anondized aluminium, which colours shift from metallic-grey to champagne. All elements of the façade (nose and undersides of balconies, handrails...) present the same colorimetric shades and offer a radiant harmony, evolving with the ambiance and the change of natural light during the day.
Volume
The volume has been developed through its urban character: the alignment of the Quai Henri IV façade and the support of the proposed building on the position of the neighboring buildings.
The building therefore follows the requirements of a site respecting its urban continuity. It smoothly fits into its context through a curved geometry: free running and continuous balconies and generous large windows.
The design process intended to respect the building law applied on the site (PLU), and to insert the building harmoniously into its urban context. The volume connects to the exisiting fire-walls of the neighbouring buildings, thus giving consistence to the whole ensemble.
The building therefore follows the requirements of a site respecting its urban continuity. It smoothly fits into its context through a curved geometry: free running and continuous balconies and generous large windows.
The design process intended to respect the building law applied on the site (PLU), and to insert the building harmoniously into its urban context. The volume connects to the exisiting fire-walls of the neighbouring buildings, thus giving consistence to the whole ensemble.
Panoramas
This housing project is located in the heart of Paris across the 4th arrondissement and offers an exceptional panorama of the historical city: Notre-Dame de Paris, Île Saint Louis and Le Jardin des Plantes.
Standard floor plan
The apartments are organized around vertical stairways, which also operate as light shafts and allow light to enter deeply into the building. The building contains a wide variety of housing types (90 types), resulting from both, the volume and a study on new types of living and family constellations.
Typologies
Typological principles developed here offer great flexibility in design. The space is freed bearing partitions from the hard core in the center and radiating carrier sailing around the cores. The frame allows free arrangement of partitions apartments. Most apartments have a double or triple profit orientation and visual clearances, in particular large apartments. The apartments were conceived through a fixed structure but allowing a big variety of uses (occupation) scenarios.
Reinventing the Parisian courtyard
The project is integrated in a complex context of residential buildings dating from the 1970s and 1990s and a series of Haussmann buildings organized around fragmented inner courtyards. Based on already existing gables, which were exposed by the demolition of the former SNPE building (Société Nationale des poudres et explosifs), the project reconstitutes wider courtyards. The new ensemble gives the block a new flair of urbanity.
The site features a composite and dense structure, typical for the centre of Paris, along with a remarkable view over the Seine. The softly curved façade of the building gives a continuity to the displayed linearity of the existing buildings and gently reconciles to the vertical façade of the Yves Lion building. The volume integrates the existing buildings at the Quai Henri IV, creates three new green courtyards and thus activates the urban fabric of the block.
The site features a composite and dense structure, typical for the centre of Paris, along with a remarkable view over the Seine. The softly curved façade of the building gives a continuity to the displayed linearity of the existing buildings and gently reconciles to the vertical façade of the Yves Lion building. The volume integrates the existing buildings at the Quai Henri IV, creates three new green courtyards and thus activates the urban fabric of the block.
Interiors
The building contains a large variety of apartment typologies, 90 different typologies for 144 apartments, ranging from T1 to T5. More than 50% have an orientation to two sides.
All of them have balconies overlooking the Seine or one of the courtyards.
The social housing units and the privately owned apartments are grouped in one single volume, enfolded by the same façade, all of them benefit from balconies. The passages in the volume and the separated staircases allow a distinguished separation of the two.
The apartments are organized radial around the vertical staircases, that benefit from natural lightning. The technical supply lines are located in the middle of the building, allowing the living areas to profit from the light and the view.
All of them have balconies overlooking the Seine or one of the courtyards.
The social housing units and the privately owned apartments are grouped in one single volume, enfolded by the same façade, all of them benefit from balconies. The passages in the volume and the separated staircases allow a distinguished separation of the two.
The apartments are organized radial around the vertical staircases, that benefit from natural lightning. The technical supply lines are located in the middle of the building, allowing the living areas to profit from the light and the view.
Curves
The urban constraints and regulations of the site were carefully analysed in order to meet the requested density. The spatial potential, offered by the curved upper floors, provides as much floor space as possible.
The stepped structure follows.
Fibonacci’s harmonious proportions and converts the long balconies into wide terraces. The difference between the social housing units and the privately owned apartments is visible in a variation of the balcony slabs, most prominently at the cuts on the façade and supports its shimmering appeal.
The stepped structure follows.
Fibonacci’s harmonious proportions and converts the long balconies into wide terraces. The difference between the social housing units and the privately owned apartments is visible in a variation of the balcony slabs, most prominently at the cuts on the façade and supports its shimmering appeal.
Light
The curved and irregular volume of the building offers a multitude of different atmospheres and a rich variety to the apartment’s geometry. The economic rent apartments follow the same global principles.
Their levels of housing accession generous draw natural light through the skylights pavé glass housing the stairs safely. These spiral staircases are highlighted to serve additional movement for all apartments on the lower floors, and access to the roof of the common building. These two skylights are accessible from the passage connecting the Quai Henry IV with the large courtyard to a view of green space from the dock.
Their levels of housing accession generous draw natural light through the skylights pavé glass housing the stairs safely. These spiral staircases are highlighted to serve additional movement for all apartments on the lower floors, and access to the roof of the common building. These two skylights are accessible from the passage connecting the Quai Henry IV with the large courtyard to a view of green space from the dock.
Access
The two vertical staircases in the part of the building with the privately owned apartments, were designed in regard to the light-study for each floor. The staircases have skylights, allowing the light to deeply penetrate the building. Imagined as light shafts, they contain a wide helical metallic staircase, potentially substituting the elevator.
The social housing units are served by three staircases, accessible from the central courtyard. The outdoor platform is part of the continuity of the balconies and therefore benefit from natural lighting and the great proximity to the central garden. Every platform serves two or three housing units per level.
The social housing units are served by three staircases, accessible from the central courtyard. The outdoor platform is part of the continuity of the balconies and therefore benefit from natural lighting and the great proximity to the central garden. Every platform serves two or three housing units per level.
Under Construction
Project Data
Program: 70 social housing units, 74 private apartments and 1 kindergarten; 172 parking and 1,250 m² gardens
Client: Altarea Cogedim
Status: Completion September 2015
Location: Paris 4th arrondissement, France
Cost: 31.5 Mio €
Plot / Gross floor area: 4,000 sqm / 12,700sqm
Team
Architecture: LIN Architects Urbanists, Berlin/Paris: Finn Geipel, Giulia Andi
Sandra Badji (project manager)
Caroline Martin, Philip König, Marie Othon, Elena Pavlidou-Reisig, Andrea Alessio, Alexandre Moulin, Florent Le Corre, Nicola Carnevali, Dan Bernos, Brahim Kanoute, Bruno Pinto da Cruz, Vejlko Marcovic, Lisa Jones, Laure Veyre de Soras, Lucia Sanchez Ramirez, Marta Diez Amate, Mattis Krebs, Marcin Szczodry, Cécile Oberkampf, Aleja Castellanos, Vesta Nele Zareh.
Landscape: Bassinet Turquin Paysage
Façade: Bollinger & Grohmann
Structure and technical building equipment: Arcoba
Climat: Pouget Consultants
Acoustics: Avel Acoustique
General contractor: Bouygues Bat. IdF
Dates: 1st price competition 2009, completion 2015
Lables and certificates: Plan "climat" Paris, NF logements
Quai Henri IV
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Façade
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Photo: Maria Vittoria Trovato
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Photo: David Boureau
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Photo: David Boureau
Fit the context
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Site plan
Volume
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Structure
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Photo: Christian Richters
Panoramas
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Photo: Christian Richters
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Photo: David Boureau
Standard floor plan
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Standard floor plan
Typologies
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Typologies
Reinventing the Parisian courtyard
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Photos: Christian Richters
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Photo: David Boureau
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Photo: Christian Richters
Interiors
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Photos: Christian Richters, David Boureau, Maria Vittoria Trovato, Sandra Badji
Curves
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Photo: David Boureau
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Photo: David Boureau
Light
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Light
Access
Image 19/20
Photos: Christian Richters, Maria Vittoria Trovato
Under Construction
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Photos: Maria Vittoria Trovato
