triangular white balconies protrude from valode & pistre's housing complex in france

french architecture firm valode & pistre introduces ‘prado concorde’, a new multifunctional development situated at the entry of castelnau-le-lez, in south france. employing a distinct geometry with triangular balconies, the project is designed to combine collective housing with school and retail facilities, in a vast urban island surrounding a large valley-like garden.

all images courtesy of valode & pistre

valode & pistre‘s architecture gives emphasis to the external extensions of the dwellings, so that residents can enjoy the advantages of the local mild mediterranean climate. each dwelling features a large balcony with its own separate tree. in this way, the design provides extra living space for the occupants, along with a pleasant outdoor area where they can sit and relax under the cool shade. 

the project showcases an innovative structural system with balconies whose triangular geometry with variable cross-section takes up the efforts through cantilevers in line with the tree container built into its thickest part. this high- performance prefabricated concrete component is systematically offset between floors to allow enough air for each tree to grow. the advantages of these balconies go beyond their practical use; the play between their offsets and inversions and the combination of triangular prisms floating one above the other bring movement and lightness to the façade like a flight of birds.

project info:

name: prado concorde
architects: valode & pistre
location: castelnau-le-lez, in south france

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: myrto katsikopoulou | designboom