Blocks A22 and A23 are part of the development project for the Faubourg Malepère sector, a composite district in the south-east of Toulouse, located at the entrance to the city, which is a key issue in the formation of the metropolis, where attractive districts, pleasant to live in, should be developed in continuity with the urban context.

Preserving the plant heritage

This particular framework is an opportunity that the project of the A22 and A23 blocks seizes by proposing a response based on a logic that crosses the traces of the existing landscape with that of the inherited plot of land.

It is a "common sense" project based on a few rules:
- the thicknesses of the buildings are generated by those of the old plots (which guarantees respect for endogenous, anthropic and also pioneer subjects)

- a significant setback from the plot boundaries allows the transitions with public spaces and other plots to be worked out in order to maintain a green continuity
- underground parking is located under the building rights of way

The result of these three actions is a rational figure in which the buildings are developed in two parallel lines, the thickness of which is defined by the dimensions of the old plot.

The profile of the two lines is structured through an alternation of voids and solids whose crenellated template allows the cohabitation of several types of habitat.

The first characteristic of the proposed project is the recognition and conservation of a landscape. It is treated here as the large central piece distancing the buildings and serving as a backdrop to the housing. A 30 metre wide space separates the two strips from each other. This landscaped area is planned to be largely vegetated, and will draw on the natural resources of the site by conserving and reinforcing the existing species.

Morphology of the LOT A23 project, the 5 buildings

The project of lot A23 is composed of 5 parallelepipeds with a height of R+7 and a range of floor plans from R+2 to R+5. Combining compactness and simplicity, the built ensemble fits respectfully into the landscape. The surface area of open spaces represents 70% of the plot, 63% of which is open ground.

The complex contains 168 flats ranging from 2 to 5 rooms, of which 50% are 3 rooms and 40% are 2 rooms. In addition to the collective use of the park, each home has its own dedicated outdoor space. These private gardens, terraces or loggias overlook the surrounding landscape and its omnipresent nature.

Architectural expression, historical heritage

In the interests of homogeneity, the four facades of each plot are treated in a uniform manner. A single grid governs the rhythm of the openings that wind around their different faces. Thus the values of full and empty spaces are common to all five buildings. The application of this principle of opening makes it possible to homogenise the facades and to eliminate the notion of gable. There is no hierarchy of facades, which are neither primary nor secondary.

We have favoured mineral and natural materials. The masonry walls are rendered in a light colour inspired by the brick of Toulouse, which gives it its nickname of "Ville Rose". The window shutters and the cladding of the loggias as well as the joinery are made of wood. The louvered shutters, like the colour of the rendering, are undoubtedly a reference to Occitan regionalism and to the traditional style of the city centre of Toulouse, but by their size and their play of recess, the reinterpretation of these materials helps to make the buildings more domestic and less dense.

Client: GREEN CITY IMMOBILIER and PROMOMIDI / Budget: 20.5M€ HT / Surface: 11 000 m² / Schedule: 2021-2025 / Team: BETTEC (Structure), ETCI (Structure), SOCONER (Fluids), BMF (Economy), G2 INGENIERIE (VRD), LA TALVERA (Landscaping), BUREAU VERITAS (Technical Control), POLYEXPERT (Environment)