Housing in Limoges

Housing in Limoges
© Sergio Grazia

Housing in Limoges

BVL Architecture

TECHNICAL STUDIES
Betec, Ingepole

ECONOMIST
Laneau

BE ACOUSTIQUE
Orfea

PHOTOGRAPHS
Sergio Grazia

AREA
1920 m²

YEAR
2014

LOCATION
Limoges , France

CATEGORY
Houses

Text description provided by architect.

This building of public housing, built by BVL Architecture in Limoges, a town of 140 000 inhabitants in the centre of France, is located on one of the driveways to the town centre, at the intersection of a busy road and a residential street. The building signalizes the crossroads with its size and its contemporary architecture.

Housing in Limoges
© Sergio Grazia
Housing in Limoges
© Sergio Grazia

The whole architecture is set on a forged raw concrete plinth, sustaining four floors of accommodation.

The last two floors, fitting duplex flats are partially dressed in wood. The outline of the façade matches individualized work.

Housing in Limoges
© Sergio Grazia
Housing in Limoges
© Sergio Grazia

The main façade is on the East side of the building. It overlooks a busy street and follows the urban alignment. Front walkways allow access to floor 1, 2 and 3. These flats are acoustically protected by an openwork glass skin.

This glass skin allows natural light in and onto the staircase. A wooden terrace-loggia emerges from the façade at the angle of the third floor, “signaling” the crossroads.

The northern façade is more “monolithic”. Its design is declined through subtle variations of empty spaces and full structures, where folding shutters, overhangs from balconies of the loggias, and the emergence of wooden “boxes”underline the range of the street.

Housing in Limoges
© Sergio Grazia
Housing in Limoges
© Sergio Grazia

The back façades (South and West) particularly well oriented, benefit from deep terraces, developed as emerging volumes, mixing painted concrete and wooden porticoes/“brise-soleil” (sun breaker).

The flats of floor 3 and 4 are entirely built in wood structures and wood covering. The contemporary wooden architecture reveals itself in the urban landscape.

Housing in Limoges
© Sergio Grazia
Housing in Limoges
© Sergio Grazia
Housing in Limoges
© Sergio Grazia


Housing in Limoges
© Sergio Grazia
Housing in Limoges
© Sergio Grazia


Housing in Limoges
© Sergio Grazia
Housing in Limoges
© Sergio Grazia
Housing in Limoges
© Sergio Grazia
Housing in Limoges
© Sergio Grazia
Housing in Limoges
© Sergio Grazia
Housing in Limoges
© Sergio Grazia


Housing in Limoges
Floor Plan