Site Constraints :

The plot is part of the development area "1. Northern Entrance of the Campus." This western part of Villejuif is characterized by the presence of large hospitals, including the Institut Gustave Roussy (IGR), a key urban landmark, particularly in terms of cityscape. We designed this new building by considering the multiple influences of the different typologies present in the neighborhood.
The site is located at the intersection of three roads with distinct characteristics:

• Avenue du Président Salvador Allende, a major thoroughfare with heavy traffic.
• Rue du Docteur Pinel, a mid-sized street accessible to vehicles.
• Passage Charles Dehan, a pedestrian pathway.

The plot sits at the boundary between a residential neighborhood and the future, denser ZAC (urban development zone), thereby creating a link between these two highly contrasting urban fabrics. Given its strategic position within the urban landscape, the building must serve as a gateway to the heart of the district, anchoring the corner formed by Rue du Docteur Pinel and Avenue Allende. For this reason, we designed an animated, open façade along Avenue Allende, rising to five floors (R+5), forming a "prow" that contributes to the emerging identity of this neighborhood. The project is thus visible from a distance.

Core Concept and Main Features :

The project consists of two buildings that interact through a centralized entrance.
This central space creates a visual corridor from the street to the garden, enhancing the perspective along Rue du Docteur Pinel.
This configuration maintains a high-quality landscaped area that is accessible to residents while being sheltered from street activity.

The rooftop terrace of the R+4 level is treated as a "fifth façade." It is greened to preserve the visual comfort of both residents and neighbors, establishing this development as a contemporary and environmentally conscious landmark.

The buildings are compact, with clearly defined volumes that ensure legibility and coherence, reinforcing the project's strong identity. The highly open façades foster interaction with the street. The structured façade design integrates windows and shutters for two apartments at a time, creating a lighter visual impression of the building’s density.

Special attention has been given to residents' experience from the street to their homes, ensuring natural light throughout horizontal and vertical circulation areas and incorporating warm, durable, and distinctive materials.

Materials :

In this transitional urban area, we aimed for a building with clean and understated lines, ensuring a simple yet elegant architectural expression.
Its structured façade is materialized with hand-molded beige brick, a noble and contemporary material. This choice ensures durability and ease of maintenance while fostering harmony with the immediate environment.

The concrete structure and external insulation contribute to thermal comfort, providing natural temperature regulation year-round through enhanced thermal inertia.

The window frames and shading systems are made of bronze-colored aluminum. The metal sliding shutters are positioned in front of a façade cladding of the same shade, creating a harmonious relationship with the brick’s color.

The entrance forecourt and pedestrian pathways are paved with granite stones, arranged in a herringbone pattern, delicately connecting the two buildings through their small format and meticulous layout