EUROPAN HABITER L’AN 2000 – GRENOBLE

The thin slabs of residential buildings and trees texture compose a dense space. It is an intimate and assuring place, while being also a shared space, where differences between garden and road, parking lots and playground, cars and pedestrian, house and the city are smoothed.

Public open space is, thus, defined by its double nature: it serves as domestic exterior while complementing the housing exposed interiors.

As a concept the domestic exterior is a place where daily life is not afraid of appearing in its own routine. At the same time, it is an ordinary space with no intention of being representative. It is a simple place achieving levels of difference thanks to its material construction and its ability to host diverse programs: it is a domestic and dense space.

While each individual room is given a direct view over the horizon and the mountains, common spaces inside the buildings overlook the green spaces of everyday life: both individual rooms and living rooms are exposed interiors opening on large open courtyards.