SANAA’s recently completed social housing complex in Paris was captured by the Architecture and Photography studio of Vincent Hecht. Part of Paris habitat, France’s largest public utility social housing company, the project comprises four buildings accommodating more than 100 social housing units in total.
Located in western Paris, in the avenue du Maréchal Fayolle, the complex is designed by the Japanese architecture firm SANAA, led by Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa. Opting for fluid design and white finish, the studio designed four elevated buildings on pilotis, to allow full transparency and integration on the ground floor, insuring safety for the inhabitants.
Blending also in form and scale with the neighborhood, the intervention acts as an extension for the adjacent park. Green areas fill the voids between buildings, connecting the complex to the public space. Moreover, oriented in a way to maximize natural light and ventilation, the units generate a warm and welcoming indoor space.