61 social housing units at Ivry Confluences by Atelier du Pont

Atelier du Pont completed 61 social housing units for OPH d'Ivry in 2016, totalling 4,100 m² for €7 million excluding VAT.

Located in the Ivry Confluences development zone, the project sits on a boundary: low office and business premises to the west, apartment blocks to the south-east, terraced houses to the north and, next door on the same block, a newly built school. Faced with this mix of scales, the architects of Atelier du Pont proposed a stepped ensemble of homes.

Because the site is in a flood zone, the homes had to be raised. The architects turned this constraint into a planted entrance for residents. The homes are reached by a long footbridge running alongside the school designed by Chartier-Dalix; as the trees planted along it grow, their canopy will gradually frame this sequence. The entrances of the first homes become semi-private thanks to this walkway access, which borrows the vocabulary of stacked houses. It also saves money, since no lift is needed, though that may be a drawback for some tenants.

The way the volumes are articulated creates a small forecourt on the north side of the plot. This gesture turns views away from the business premises and towards the neighbouring townhouses. As for materials, the building is wrapped in fired-clay brick that varies in tone, finish and bond. The many terraces offered to residents are another strong point.

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