A new housing project in Paris was recently redeveloped by the Brussels-based firm BOB361. The apartment complex, Orteaux, is part of a larger revitalization project for a Parisian neighborhood located near the Père Lachaise cemetery. 

As part of this revival, the building consists of 21 apartments and functions as a sustainability pilot project for the city. It is the first project in Paris to receive the Écoquartier label. The entire redevelopment consists of 109 dwellings (75 of which are newly built), a public garden, and a range of commercial premises. 

The entire housing block is located in a heavily built-up, and neglected area within the 20th arrondissement of Paris. Initially scheduled for demolition, the block was saved as a result of local protests. The city of Paris then opted for partial renovation, sanctioning new buildings where necessary with an emphasis on maintaining scale and diversity.

The renovation and expansion of the existing building cleared the way for a new route through the network of alleys providing access to the upgraded inner area.

The firm ensured the new volume communicated with the existing building block and surroundings by searching for a simple design, which was then allowed to lean against the existing volume in the Rue des Orteaux.