The project is located on Rue de Passy in Paris’s 16th arrondissement, a dense, middle-class residential district. The area is largely composed of Haussmannian buildings from the 19th century—an architectural heritage that defines Parisian identity but also presents structural limits in adapting to population growth.
As new construction land is scarce, rehabilitation and extension have become essential strategies to both increase housing capacity and improve living conditions. This project focuses on the renovation of existing dwellings within the parcel, while enhancing not only the internal spatial quality but also the relationship with the surrounding buildings.
The design began with a morphological analysis of the urban fabric. The plan outline, façade alignment, and height (gauge) of adjacent buildings were extended to naturally generate the new volume. This approach ensures that the project fits harmoniously into its Haussmannian context, continuing the rhythm and proportions of the existing cityscape.
The parcel is structured around three sequential courtyards, each with distinct functions and degrees of privacy:
- Courtyard A: The main entrance courtyard connects the three residential access halls and serves as a shared circulation space.
- Courtyard B: A semi-public courtyard dedicated to shop employees and workshop users on the ground floor.
- Courtyard C: A private courtyard accessible only through residents’ entrance halls, ensuring security and privacy.
Together, these courtyards form a spatial sequence that gradually transitions from public to private realms, introducing light, air, and community into a high-density urban block—proposing a new model of collective housing that reconciles density and quality of life.
