Subsidised Housing in Paris

Architects: Hamonic + Masson, F–Paris/Marie-Agnès de Bailliencourt
Structural engineering: SIBAT, F–Paris

M 1:2500 Site plan
M 1:750 Section
M 1:750 Floor plans
M 1:20 Vertical sections
M 1:20 Horizontal sections

The different shapes of the balconies dissolve the silhouette and camouflage the building massing. Although the interiors of the apartments stacked atop one another are identical, the variety of the balconies individualises them. French doors connect nearly all of the bedrooms and living rooms to the private outdoor space. The use of reflective surfaces underscores the lofty, lightweight impression. The facades are clad in trapezoidal profiles, which also alternate from storey to storey, from high-gloss stainless steel to matt aluminium. This stratification subtly reinforces the three-dimensionality of the facade. The silver-toned scumbled surfaces on the underside of the balconies are also slightly reflective.