DIDELON | Martin Duplantier Architectes (MDA)

AN URBAN CATALYST

How to revitalize a historical port neighborhood to create a pleasant place for young people to live and prosper? An empty brownfield, previously used as a parking lot without any vegetation, is turned into a mix-use building gathering housing units, spacious shared spaces, terraces, and green recreation zones. This building assembles student residencies with 42 studios, two co-living apartments, offices, and commerces on the ground floor.

Architecture, Construction & Design Awards 2022
Second Award | Mixed Use (Built) 

Project Name: DIDELON
Project Category: Mixed Use (built)
Studio Name: Martin Duplantier Architectes (MDA)
Design Team: Laabid Harfouche, Sebastien Alarcon, Enrico Sacchi,  Monika Jelić,  Dharanidharan Kuppuswamy
Area: 3207 square meters
Year: 2022
Location: Rue de Paris 107, Angoulême, 16000, FR
Consultants:
Photography Credits: Nicolas da Silva Lucas

RESPONDING TO HERITAGE

It is a contextual building addressing a dialog between a historical urban tissue and its larger environment. Its uneven and stepped morphology represents the surroundings in its own way, matching the existing nearby stone-made houses. The vast volume was split and rearranged to correspond with the scale and play with the context. For instance, the Southern part of the structure retreats from the rue Leclerc Chauvin, allowing the creation of a generous shaded public square. To the west, on rue de Paris, the base of the building is also set back, thus allowing the volume to rise gradually up and free some space for tree planting.

LESS CONCRETE, MORE FLEXIBILITY

For the historical heritage not to be overwhelmed, structural concrete, as a practical and contemporary material, had been chosen and exposed on the facade with an adjusted color to fit in the environment of Charentes limestone. This concrete skeleton can also be found in plan, so as to allow potential evolutions of functions.

FROM CONSTRAINTS TO GENEROSITY

The height restriction in the protected area of Angouleme turned the facade into a dynamic composition of residential, common, and commercial areas aimed at enhancing the well-being of residents and visitors, allowing also people passing by to enjoy the greenery and attracting more life to the area.