Paris’ PietriArchitectes has shared images of their new 15-unit social housing development in the northern suburb of Aubervilliers.

Completed towards the end of last year, 36 Ferragus is the key cog in a requalification operation for the city’s center. Currently, about two-thirds of Aubervilliers residents inhabit some form of social housing, and so the development provides relief in what is to some a frequent powder keg for related issues.

Opting for pre-fabricated components and wood as its main building material for the extension project, the studio worked within a site that’s part of the larger Heurtault block of the ZAC Moutier agglomeration to adapt a disused existing early-20th century residential structure and garage.

Per the architects: "This game of opposition between old and new constitutes the soul of the project. On the street side, the extension is set back from the preserved construction, providing inhabitants with space to access the buildings. A gap has been created between the two buildings, consisting of halls and walkways, that establishes a real physical link between the two buildings. This gap provides views between the volumes and opens the urban fabric, while ensuring a perception of porosity towards the heart of the block."

"The existing building has been completely renovated, while conserving its original appearance. The cellar was lowered, and all floors were altered to ensure the safety and durability of the building. Echoing the extension, the main building features one-story elevation, carried out with the same aesthetic and technical characteristics as the extension."

The renovated building features a staircase and one apartment unit per floor, while the design team was able to leverage CLT construction to deliver two dwellings for each palier of the extension. The two main buildings are thus connected via an external footbridge, while an annex enacted atop the brick building combines with the extension’s tableau facade in a way that "contrasts with the weft and sobriety of the existing building and its original brick."

"In this way, a game of material, of contrast between hollow and full, is played between the anthracite zinc and the slatted wood, drawing skewed frames around the bay windows," the architects add finally. "In strong contrast, the two facades dialogue together thanks to the bridge between them, and complement each other. Harmony is established between the two buildings through the choice of raw and natural materials dear to the architectural writing of PietriArchitectes."