With the new University Commons, the University of Alberta in Edmonton has created a forward-looking space for learning, socializing, and interdisciplinary exchange. The project, designed by Zeidler Architecture, transforms the former building that housed the schools of dentistry and pharmacy into an open, inclusive, and flexible campus center.

Spanning approximately 405,000 square feet, a new hub for the university campus has been created that not only connects students and faculty but also serves as a publicly accessible space for community and exchange. University Commons thus redefines the role of university architecture—moving away from closed-off faculty structures toward open learning environments.

Open learning environments instead of institutional boundaries

The architectural concept is based on the idea of a “shared campus.” The goal was to spatially interconnect different academic departments, services, and common areas and to foster spontaneous encounters.

The formerly fragmented interior spaces were completely reorganized. Today, the building is characterized by open learning zones, flexible classrooms, collaborative workspaces, and social gathering areas.

At the center is a spacious atrium thatallows natural light to enter. Reflection BIM Category: This category describes the hazard class of substances and materials—such as flammable liquids, gases, or dust—and influences fire safety requirements.: Institutional Architecture / Educational Design / Adaptive Reuse

The title of the project “Une maison a Paris” sounds banal. But neither the story behind it nor the small residential tower in the middle of the French metropolis are ordinary. Quite the opposite. Innovative architecture and redensification come together here.

The title of the project “Une maison a Paris” sounds banal. But neither the story behind it nor the small residential tower in the middle of the French metropolis are ordinary. Quite the opposite. Innovative architecture and redensification come together here.

The story of the small Parisian residential tower begins with an email. The team from the JAVA architecture firm received it in the fall of 2017, in which the author explained that he and his wife had bought a ruinous house in a Parisian backyard, which he wanted to turn into a home for his family.

After a short phone call, the architects realized that the gentleman had bought a pile of old stones and had no idea whether he could make anything out of them. The architects thought their future client was either crazy or a genius. Without having an answer to his request, the partners of JAVA, Florian Levy, Alma Bali and Laurent Sanz, decided to tackle the project. Together, they embarked on an adventure that lasted several years and helped a middle-class French family to stay in Paris. Today, they live on five small floors in the middle of an inner courtyard.

First, the architects from JAVA analyzed the ruins in the backyard in terms of their substance and potential. They then decided to build a new, three-storey building on top of the existing masonry. If building is commonly referred to as an act of bravery, in Paris it is a heroic act. On the way from the early, initial sketches to the start of construction work were property rights disputes, discussions with the city planning office and wrestling with the client’s tight budget.

Initially, the project sponsors were pleased with the approval of the project, albeit weak. But then planning permission for the residential tower was refused. After this was finally granted, the neighbors rebelled. In the end, however, everything turned out well. After an arduous process, construction work was allowed to begin. In the end, the architects decided to see their client not as crazy but as a genius.

Once the idea of adding three storeys to the existing house was born, work began on a residential tower with a footprint of six by four meters. As the old masonry was to serve as the basis for the new building, the superstructures had to be as light as possible. Wood turned out to be the ideal building material for the new floors and became the most important construction material for the project. It is visible everywhere inside the house, especially in the continuous wooden staircase.

JAVA was only able to use transparent windows on one side of the façade. These openings have a different shape on each floor. Depending on the function of the interior spaces, the windows allow more or less insight. This gives the main façade the appearance of a stack of different uses and architectures. On the opposite side, the outer skin is made of opaque polycarbonate, which brings a soft light into the staircase area and the adjoining rooms. The roof of the tower is also made of this translucent material.

A project that seemed crazy at first glance turned out to be a great experiment over time. One in which it was possible to build a home for a middle-class family in the middle of a metropolis where real estate prices are constantly rising. By using the existing foundations and walls, the architects at JAVA were able to save a lot of material and energy. The result is a contemporary, energy-efficient detached house in the middle of one of the most expensive cities on the continent.

All photos: JAVA, Caroline Dethier

Not every residential tower has room for just one family. The high-rise residential building “The Muse” by Barcode Architects creates 94 apartments in the center of Rotterdam.