We are entering a new era of sustainable and cost-efficient architecture! This dazzling residential building in Paris with its smart outer shell is leading the way into this era.
A building that stands out from afar and acts as the centrepiece of the apartment block – this was the intention of the architect Jacques Sebbag, who carried out this project together with his team from Archi5.
Surrounded by new buildings in Paris’ 18th arrondissement, the two interconnected buildings accommodate 26 apartments and a commercial area with a medical clinic on the ground floor.
The project really attracts attention: it is especially the shimmery façade and the unusual shape of the building that catch the eye of passers-by in the Paris townscape.
The challenge was to get as much living space as possible out of a small plot – hence the idea of the corner building having a curved exterior. This multi-faceted shape “allows us to maximise space while meeting required standards”, explains Jacques Sebbag. For some, the façade evokes the idea of a cut diamond, while others get the impression that the wind is “filling the buildings sails.”
In order to achieve this effect and to meet the architect’s requirements in terms of sustainability, the two residential buildings were completely encased in clay bricks. The architects chose the Koramic flat tile Actua in titanium white and titanium grey – partly due to the striking silvery-white play of colours, and partly because the format had to meet the requirements for installation both on the façade and on the roof. According to the architect, “particularly with the tricky overlaps, the connections and at the corners”, a high degree of manual skill was needed to lay the approximately 1,000 m2 of façade tiles. He is satisfied with the result, since he believes that it conveys the desired impression of a “uniform shell”.
The building is divided into two spaces by the staircase, which covers an area of 1,652 m2, creating a play on the complementarity of the two colours of the façade. Although it is a commercial project, the bricks give the building an even higher quality touch.
The apartments, each of which also has an outdoor area, are very luminous and open in design. According to the architectural firm, the building is designed to meet the living needs of modern city dwellers and promote openness and connection to other people and to the environment.
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