d'houndt + bajart extends 'eccentric' french villa into social housing units

in the french city of tourcoing, villa maillard stands as an eccentric element of the suburban fabric. first built in the 1930s, the historical building has recently undergone an extensive renovation and extension by d’houndt + bajart architects & associates. the project has transformed the previously neglected residence into a social housing program, containing eight new units within a lush garden space.

all images © philippe braquenier

named after its original architect, villa maillard is today considered as a landmark on avenue de la marne in tourcoing. reminiscent of a getaway destination, or a faraway sea resort, it fits perfectly with the history of the boulevard where rich industrial families used to compete in extravagance. therefore, when approaching the new intervention, d’houndt + bajart had to evaluate how best to renovate and extend the anglo-norman style building, while still retaining the villa’s unique charm.

beginning with the existing structure, the team carried out a delicate renovation that paid particular attention to architectural details such as the stud work, where the timber framing is filled with sloping bricks. the architect also wanted to preserve the unique shape of the existing roof and therefore implemented a carefully crafted traditional timber frame to recreate the villa’s tangled roof volumes. as the condition of the existing frame made it impossible to raise the structure, artisans had to redesign the volumes and imagine their assembly from the ground up.

the overall aesthetic of the house has been enhanced with the application of pre-weathered, brownish-red zinc panels. this color was selected to harmonize with the building’s chromatic tones, while offering a welcome contrast to the newly built extensions. the lightweight timber framed extension is built where the old bay windows used to be, as if branches naturally sprang out of the frame. inspired by plants, the new envelope hosts a tree-house style loggia on the first floor.

the elevations of the new extension are lined with a pattern of stylized ginkgo leaves. this design element pays tribute to the natural heritage of the site as the garden boasts a number of unusual specimens, including a ginkgo biloba tree.

with regard to the function of the villa, the new program offers eight outstanding living environments. the interiors are bright and airy with unconventional volumes that remind residents of the building’s history.