Monteynard Villa historical renovation
A historical renovation offering 10 social housing units, in Fourqueux (France)
A rehabilitation in a global urban project -
The project is a part of a global remodelling of the Fourqueux town center through two building operations happening at the same time.
- “Coeur de Village”, developing a program of 30 new home-ownership apartments and 50 social housing units, and a public park surrounded by services and shopping areas.
- Monteynard Villa, a rehabilitation and historical renovation offering 10 social housing units.
Fourqueux, a strong heritage township -
Originally royal hunting lands, Fourqueux became a wine village that grew into a farming town over the centuries. It slowly has turned into the residential town of Ile de France that we all know nowadays.
It physiognomy keeps long enough it “street-village” shape, extending along the roads to “Saint-Nom-la-Bretèche” and “Saint-Germain-en-Laye”.
Between 1960 and 1990, Fourqueux welcomed a new population which increased the rate of new constructions mainly at the east of the township. These new neighbourhoods are mostly made of owned houses, contributing to the urbanization of rural areas by the suburban sprawl.
A historical challenge -
Monteynard villa represents a remarkable town building and is constituted of the remaining of the Fourqueux castle demolished during the 19th century.
The villa is located on Saint-Nom street in the heart of the town center at the edge of the golf course and has an immediate access to the place of the church. By its location and its history, the building has a particular and strategic role in the urban revitalization of Fourqueux.
The goal of the project is to exploit and enhance the actual abandoned heritage, in order to create an new interest in the town center, and to offer an alternative solution to the urban sprawl within the municipal territory.
A social challenge -
The building constitutes also an answer to a social challenge by creating 10 social housing units.
The project is composed in majority of small sized units (1xT1; 6xT2; 2xT3; 1xT4), to attract a younger population and create a new social life in the heart of the town.
A heavy rehabilitation respecting the local heritage -
The project aims to renovate the building and to give back its original architectural character. The project quality is all about being integrated within the existing structure allowing long term evolution of Fourqueux.
Facade preservation -
Facades have been fully preserved and renovated with a particular focus on their initial appearance and geometry.
From this perspective, materials that have been used are similar to the original one.
- Slate and zinc roof
- Use of coating "Patrimoine range - Natural lime based"
- Wooden joinery and shutters The chosen shades match the originals. This allows enhancing facade rhythms and moldings, especially brickwork and stone-work that have been fully renovated, cleaned, and repointed.
A constructive challenge: adapting an existing space to the 21st century -
One of the challenges of the project has been exploiting the existing structure to develop a program of 10 housing units fitting the current way of living.
The constructive choice is oriented towards the preservation of the building envelope and shear-walls to create an empty box. Floors and partition walls have been demolished. A new mixed structure and composite floors have been inserted into the empty box.
The renovation project has been designed to create an efficient and responsible building, according to the label “Patrimoine et Environnement”.
The insulation has been optimized respecting the original appearance of the building, by using an internal thermal insulation and high performance woodworks for the openings.
A new building interior partition -
Both accesses initially located at the edge of the building have been moved to the middle of the main facade facing Saint Nom street.
This allows to create a central crossing hall and an adjacent staircase. Horizontal circulations on each level have been designed along the north facade to enjoy natural light. Existing structure components and openings have been used to partition and organize each level.
Similarly, the thermal efficiency of the old cave and pyre has been re-used for equipment rooms to ensure the building.
Landscaping and urban planning -
The available space in front of the North facade has been largely landscaped. It gives access to the ground floor units.
The historical preservation project extends also to the surroundings of the building. Parking spots have been created on the plot.
