Industry and housing on the canal

In the east of Paris, from the Porte de la Villette onwards, there is currently a lot going on from an urban planning perspective. This is because economic and urban development is making great strides along the Ourcq Canal. New districts have already been developed in Pantin, Romainville and Bobigny in the recent past. The canton of Bondy is now also joining this process. Here, a new eco-district is being created on the banks of the canal, which will be completely greened in the future.

The site itself is characterized by an industrial past. As part of the urban revitalization, a quarter with living space and high-quality recreational areas is now being created. Studio Brenac & Gonzalez, which had already realized a residential building in Romainville, wanted to take up this historical aspect in the current design of a new residential building. The French office, which can already look back on 80 years of company history, bases its work philosophy on the search for permanence beyond time: “Wewant tolocate our work both in our time and outside of time, always in search of theephemeraland the unchangeable,” is how they describe their approach.

The canal was once built to meet the drinking water needs of the city of Paris. It was also used to transport goods. As early as the mid-17th century, there were initial plans to use the water from the River Ourcq to supply Paris. However, the actual realization of the canal project did not take place until the beginning of the 19th century on the initiative of Napoléon I. For this purpose, the river Ourcq was partially diverted behind the village of Silly-la-Poterie, not far from the Forêt de Retz forest, and turned into a navigable waterway. Today, the canal no longer has any economic significance. However, its banks and accompanying paths serve as a popular recreational area for Parisians. In future, the residents of the new eco-neighborhood in Bondy will also be able to benefit from the proximity to the canal.

Brenac & Gonzalez chose an identity-forming building opposite the canal for this prominent location. It is one of a total of three structures. In addition to the figurehead directly on the canal, there is another building volume in the north-west corner of the site and a fragment derived from this block, which nevertheless develops an independent character. All three parts of the ensemble are characterized by a play of shifts and recesses. The resulting façade creates a varied volumetry. The division and formulation of the blocks also allows sufficient light to penetrate the block interiors. Furthermore, the fragmentation enables a variety of visual relationships with the surrounding landscape.

In addition to the references to the water and the surroundings, the connection to history was also particularly important to Brenac & Gonzalez. The materials used are therefore inspired by the former industrial character. Brick and metal are the materials of choice. To create a friendly and calming impression, the color palette is limited to white, sand and cream tones. The façade is made of chiseled brick monoliths. Despite the use of the same material, the bricks are intended to create a lively surface. The light beige brick continues to harmonize with the white-painted metal structures. The balconies made of metal brackets and tie rods, which lend both a harbor and industrial aesthetic, also pay homage to the industrial past. They structure the façade towards the canal, with the external staircase to the roof terrace being a particularly exciting detail.

After Brenac & Gonzalez won the competition for the realization in 2017, the residential and commercial complex was recently handed over to the clients. It now remains to be seen whether the ensemble has the potential to contribute to the development of a lively and green district along the Ourcq canal.

In the southern French city of Pau, CoBe & Paysage have designed the Laherrère Center, which is intended to be a place for living, working, training and economic development.