edouard francois clads orange of ris with terracotta tiles

édouard françois clads orange of ris with terracotta tiles
photo by paul raftery
all images courtesy of maison édouard françois

located on the site of an abandoned police station in a parisian suburb, édouard françois has completed ‘orange of ris’, a housing block that contains 60 social residences. as well as providing the region with much needed living accommodation, the 4,350 square meter design also serves as a colorful and vibrant gateway to the neighborhood. 

the building is located on the site of an abandoned police station in a suburb of paris
photo by paul raftery

clad with terracotta tiles, usually used for roofs and industrial hangars, the bright and bold building that provides a stark visual contrast with surrounding structures. protruding and cantilevered volumes are suspended above ground, sitting on an exposed concrete parking garage that is envisioned as a museum exhibition space. this isolated mass carries the weight of the apartment units above, with thick concrete load-bearing walls.

the housing block that contains 60 social residences
photo by paul raftery

the family crest of architect édouard françois is carved into the structure, displaying the motto ‘pour de vrai’, (‘for real’). the building is surrounded with a spear-tipped fence providing a degree of protection, while minimal landscaping echoes japanese zen gardens with immense stones placed on gravel walkways. 

the design serves as a colorful and vibrant gateway to the neighborhood
photo by paul raftery

clad in terracotta tiles, the angular structure is highly visible
photo by paul raftery 

the housing block sits above an exposed concrete parking garage
photo by paul raftery

the bright and bold building provides a stark visual contrast with surrounding structures
photo by paul raftery

the project is surrounded with a spear-tipped fence providing a degree of protection
photo by paul raftery

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project info:

program: 60 social residences
client: essonne habitat 
team: maison edouard françois, CET ingénierie (engineering) 
area: 4,350 sqm net floor area 
budget: 5.6 m € 
schedule: competition 2009 
construction permit: 2010 
delivery: 2013
environmental label: H&E, habitat & environnement, thpe profil A