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UNITÉ(S)

La Quadrata Residence 2019

sophie delhay architecte

UNITÉ(S) by sophie delhay architecte | THE PLAN
By sophie delhay architecte -

UNITÉ (S) is the name of the experimental project created by sophie delhay architecte and winner of the prestigious French Équerre d'Argent award in the "Housing" category. Sophie delhay architecte built an apartment residence called La Quadrata Residence in Dijon in France, that undermines a number of common preconception and stereotypes about housing. This project addresses the subject of housing from the angle of the room and the desassignation of spaces.

"Considering housing as a collection of rooms of identical size, freely connected on the net, without hierarchy and without assignment, brings an emancipated vision of living and human relationships," says architect Sophie Delhay.

Depending on the type (studio, 1, 2, 3 or 4 bedrooms) the apartments are composed of a variable number of housing units of equal size to which no previews function is assigned. The inhabitants are free to organize their home as they prefer and adapt it to their way of life. As a whole, this apartment building is made of 240 rooms, corresponding to 2 studios, 12 one bedroom, 16 two bedrooms, 10 three bedrooms and 1 common multipurpose room. Each room measures 13 sqm (3.6m / 3.6m), a standard surface that gives universality and flexibility to the dwellings. This basic unit corresponds to the difference in area between typologies (studio 32 sqm > one bedroom 45 sqm, two bedrooms 65 sqm > three bedrooms 78 sqm). Moreover, 13sqm is bigger than an average bedroom and exceeds the surface of a living room when combined with the central room. With the kitchen, the only other fixed space is a central room which is tacitly assigned to the function of dining room - vestibule - working room. Depending on the location of the living room, each apartment can meet three different schemes: crossed, diagonal or grouped.

The flexibility of combining the various units and the triple configuration of the apartments is made possible by a key element: the oversized passages from one room to another. The 1,20 meters wide passages put in visual and spatial connection all the rooms of the apartment while big wooden sliding doors can be closed to separate them. This flexibility also requires a number of adjustments so that each room can offer the highest standards of any of the uses to which it may be assignedThis flexibility also requires a number of adjustments so that each room can offer the highest standards of any of the uses to which it may be assigned. The curtains and shutters have been designed to obtain total darkness in all the rooms (as required for the bedrooms). The windows are also large and similar in each housing unit. Custom-made closets and wardrobes are also installed in all rooms. In addition, each apartment has a terrace or loggia with a size that corresponds to the minimum housing unit, obtaining a real outdoor room of 13 square meters.

Location: 49 bis avenue de Stalingrad, Eco-quartier Via Romana, Dijon (21), France
Completion: May 2019
Client: Grand Dijon Habitat
Team: sophie delhay architecte, EVP, B52, VPEAS, VERDI, Clara Berthet & JDM Paysagistes

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