The ZAC Paul Bourget is a project proposal for an architectural competition conducted in 2019. The project includes a seven-story building with 75 social housing units and a student accommodation building with a multimedia library.
Studio Name: VDARCHITECTURES
Design Team: VDARCHITECTURES, STEFANO BOERI Architetti, GAMBA (acoustical engineer), OTCE (Technical engineering office)
Area: PARIS 75013
Year: Contest in 2019
Location: ZAC PAUL BOURGET
Consultants: ELOGIE – SIEMP
The project aims to provide a serene and green environment in the middle of a vibrant city such as Paris by combining many creative and environmental approaches through a simple design.
Moreover, it is certified by the Paris Climate Action Plan and the BBC Effinergie association which identify the project as an energy-efficient design that would contribute to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. The Paris Climate Air and Energy Plan, initiated by the Paris City Council in 2007, is a policy aiming to provide guidance on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapt the territory to the coming climate change.
The idea behind the proposal is to take an approach where the symbolism is solid enough so that the building becomes immediately identifiable as an expression of robust environmental solutions while offering high-quality housing.
First of all, the planted facades combined with the green roofs symbolize a possible coexistence between nature and the artificial in order to reintroduce the greenness into urban environment.
The terraces are organized in levels, starting from the Kellermann Park and going up until to the top of the buildings, intending to offer an impregnable view of the neighborhood. These privileged gathering places are also welcoming the library users by offering them additional open-air spaces for spontaneous events while leaving room for activities of the inhabitants of the district.
A metal staircase, designed as the central element of the project, achieves a spatial organization by separating and connecting all the levels and different program of the building.
Finally, the project will glow in its urban setting through its harmoniously inserted volumes. The visual perspectives coming from “le Périphérique” and “l’Avenue de la Porte d’Italie” and the slight slope of the site, rise the project as a remarkable construction among surrounding buildings. The result of merging these urban qualities in many scales is an outstanding landmark.
About Our practice :
VDArchitectures is a studio for architectural and urban design, established by Matteo Vigano in 2011, in the heart of Paris. The practice focuses on implementing a rich and diverse architectural vision mastered through previous experiences in major architectural studios across Europe. Since its establishment, the studio has successfully specialized in architecture and urbanism, and continuously evolved through different areas of activity.
VDA aspires to propose innovative, sustainable and integrated architectural and urban solutions in many scales while respecting the essence of the project as well as the financial and temporal restrictions.
Being aware of the environmental threat of our days, VDA is highly interested in renewable materials, energetic performance improvement and longevity of the products, which are the keys to an eco-responsible design. In order to achieve high standards in sustainability, VDA builds up a project team by bringing together many engineering experts and develops new strategies to reduce environmental impact of its design.
Currently, the agency is based in Paris, aims to keep its growth across France and abroad. To accomplish it, VDA has a multi-disciplinary team of seven employees, each contributing with his/her specific expertise and skills, allowing them to bring life to a wide range of projects.
