Lacaton/Vassal or the Architecture of Generosity

The room was full for the conference of Anne Lacaton of Lacaton & Vassal Architects on November 21 at Hönggerberg.

Their vision of architecture is simple:

to give more and better for less cost

And they do that very well !

Their projects go from private houses to public buildings, passing by social housing. This article will focus on one of their social housing projects as it really does express this idea of generosity and simplicity.

As a matter of fact, their project of transformation of social housing blocks (see image above) in Bordeaux is one of the most striking and represent well three of their approaches: “generosity”, “working with the existing” and “from the inside out”.

– it is easy to say from the outside that it (the building) is ugly and to destroy it. You have to enter, to understand its beauty –

Anne Lacaton

Their project is simple, create a whole new façade by adding an independant external layer consisting of an unheated “winter garden” and a balcony. This in-between space is used as an isolating layer  while offering more space to its inhabitants.

Standard plan before transformations

Plan after transformations

Furthermore, the existing façade has been torn down and a whole new glass façade opening to this winter garden has been built. Thus, with a straight-forward intervention, the quality of those spaces is enhanced as more light enters the building.

Before – After: Interior

After – Exterior

The living unit is THE unit that makes a city. As such it should be treated as the most important one. The way people inhabit the space is the most important, explaining why they tend to work from the inside out.

By transforming an existing space, it also gives the people that their environment is worth keeping. By giving value to the housing unit, you give value to the people inhabiting them, reason why destroying is not a solution for them.

Section – Collage

It was really refreshing to see projects placing humans at their core. Architecture’s aim should not only to be a nice picture but also to have the ambition to create a nice space, not only to live in but also to inhabit.

More information can be found on their website: Lacaton & Vassal

All the images come directly from their website.