4. Simplicity, always.
The project is defined by a strong simplicity in the building site. A rational concrete skeleton (pillars & beams) of three floors is easily completed by prefabricated concrete slabs and masonry. A common sensical choreography avoiding useless complexity.
5. Re-use at the scale of the building.
Reclaimed bricks were found and cleaned in Belgium (less than 300km of distance, reducing even more the carbon footprint) and then tested in France. Towards the street bricks were left apparent, making visible its roughness and ageing. The interior facade is then painted white contributing to give unity and light to the new shared garden.
6. Form follows attitude.
Although the urban regulations allowed us to build 4 floors, we decided to build only 3. By doing so, we took care of the neighbours (avoiding to block the sunlight) and at the same time, which allowed us to have a covered shared space on the rooftop. In other words, building less private space, but ensuring generous spaces of encounter for the inhabitants.
7. Commons in sequence.
The ratio between domestic spaces (336,7 m2) and collective spaces (230,2 m2) is exemplary. A sequence of shared and non-heated spaces integrates accesses in all levels. The main entrance is defined by a transparent sectional door that offers a direct relationship with the street; the city then enters the building. The hall has an infrastructural character (leaving enough space for bikes and trolleys), connected with the inner courtyard and existing house. The vertical commons has its own identity: a concrete stairs casted on site is then enclosed by a light polycarbonate layer, thus expressing a cut-out in the facade towards the courtyard. Doors for accessing apartments are translucent, bringing light and depth to the interiors and extending the domestic life to the circulation spaces.
The system of commons is crowned by a generous greenhouse of 68,1 m2 (integrating a communal kitchen and laundry- and a terrace of 40,0 m2 with privileged views towards the surroundings.
8. Collaboration as a project.
The success of this project relied upon the collective intelligence of a diverse group of people. It profited from the knowledge and experience of colleagues, consultants and builders, bringing precision, rigour and challenging solutions along the whole process. On this, the handrail system (produced by Studio Emile) was developed as a project within the project.
9. Architecture as Propaganda.
The wooden-structure greenhouse on top of the building synthesises the will of the project, highlighting what we share, achieving maximum communication and dignity through minor and humble means (as Lina Bo Bardi would say) in everyday life and in the stressed city fabric.

Text provided by the architect.

Three criteria define the intervention strategy:

1. Selective transformation of the house
Concentrate all efforts on a specific part of the house, the barn, in order to redefine its operation:
On the ground floor, the barn has been transformed into a large living room, around which the house is organized.
Upstairs, the new common terrace opens onto the great landscape.
Eight identical patio doors are created to provide fluid exchanges between indoors and outdoors, wide views, natural light and ventilation.

2. Creation of a minimum volume of life
Give the possibility of reducing the living space during the winter period: a minimum part of the house can be heated, allowing energy savings.

3. More with less
Targeting efforts on specific elements:
a) The wall of the existing barn, partially collapsed, is reconstituted as a cyclopean wall. The bush-hammered concrete reveals the blocks of yellow and mauve stones found on site: existing and rebuilt coexist.
b) Creation of generous openings on the south and thermal comfort through qualitative insulation (underfloor heating and bio-sourced hemp lime shuttered system on the facade).
c) Enhancement of banal, inexpensive, and manuportable constructive elements by careful implementation: beams and slabs, blockwork tinted in the mass, cyclopean concrete poured with a router on site.
d) Creation of a natural swimming pool with biological filtration.

Text provided by the architect.