this residential complex in marseille consists of terraced layers, by pietriarchitectes

located in marseille’s 9th district, where chemin du royd’espagne crosses boulevard louispierotti, the residential project ‘le crique’, or ‘the creek’, by pietriarchitectes forms two distinct units, surrounded by dense vegetation. each sits confidently on the ground, in total harmony with existing buildings.

all photos by luc boegly

the first volume to the east is set slightly lower, following the natural slope of the land and minimizing its visual impact. the sculptural volumes snake over the site and interlock to create a green space, the real planted centerpiece of the plot. the end walls with their staggered terraces create tiers, echoing the hilly topography nearby. to the north, along the chemin du roy d’espagne, the building’s outline is interrupted, creating an ‘inlet’, reminiscent of the calanques and revealing a landscaped garden of mediterranean garrigue.

access to the hallways of the two buildings is set in the center of the plot, slightly below the private road, allowing residents to daily enjoy of the greenery. in line with the hills, the north-facing terraces which guarantee superb luminosity all year round are adorned with plant pots containing trees, and gain gradually in depth from the ground up to the roof. the project thus mirrors the fundamental characteristics of the site it is set in.

project info:

name: le crique

architects: pietriarchitectes

program: residential 

area: 8574 sqm