BUILDING JANUS
The building is located in Nantes on Sourdeac street, in place of an old ERDF hall, adjoining the blockhouse DY10 and a suburban building. A new pedestrian alley crosses the island on which the ground floor is open and accommodates shops.
The two main facades of the building have different architectural features. On the street the facade is regular and woven. It takes up the composition of its neighbor in the suburbs, to participate in the formation of clear public space. On the side of the large site where the "Machines" circulate, balconies with taut shapes jut out towards the void.
LARGE BALCONIES
The balconies react to their near and far environment. On the lower floors, the curves envelop the corollas of the trees planted on the terrace. In height, the balcony lines stretch towards the sky to embrace the great void of the square and the Loire landscape. The shapes of the balconies give off a multitude of views between them and with the adjacent streets. Their portion is based on the lines marking the levels of nearby buildings. Their treatment in white concrete with wooden slats and glass railings evokes the prows of boats and the ocean at the end of the river.
SCALABLE APARTMENTS
The apartments are organized with a Parents / Children principle instead of the usual Day / Night breakdown. First of all, the living room is placed in a central position and allows the bedrooms to be distributed on both sides. Then, the bathrooms are installed at the two ends of the accommodation. Finally, the entrance hall is positioned so that the apartment can be split in two. One can thus make evolve, by means of a few doors and partitions, his apartment as the evolution of the family life to accommodate a young adult, a liberal activity or a roommate.
