Photograph : Roland Halbe

« Melrose », the construction of 18 houses and 2 intermediary housing building in Seilh (Occitanie region, France)

The project is part of the overall development plan for sector 1 of the "Laubis" joint development zone. This was the subject of a "Europan" competition, won by the AR357 urban planning team, and is located on a plot of land on the outskirts of Seilh, not far from the Airbus site and the MEETT, Toulouse Exhibition and Convention Centre.

Sector 1 is the beginning of the joint development zone. As "knitting your neighborhood together" is the leitmotiv of urban planners, we proposed a series of strip housing units articulated around a patio during the competition.

Sector 1 is divided into several lots: B8, B9, B10/B11, and B12. Lot B8 is being developed by AR357, lots B9 and B12 by the FFFBBB agency, and lot B10/B11 by the TAA agency.

The Laubis development project is ideally located. At the gateway to the dynamic north of Toulouse and on the fringe of Seilh's historic town center, this district benefits from its location on the banks of the Garonne, on a site where wildlife is already present in the mother ditch. This natural ditch provides a natural east-west direction, which the urban planners and landscape architects have drawn on.

All ground-floor units have private gardens. All first-floor units have a south-facing loggia. Parking spaces are grouped around tree-lined communal courtyards.

In line with the guidelines laid down by the urban planners, the buildings follow an east/west direction to create views towards the Garonne. The volumes of the multi-family dwellings, which are larger than those of the townhouses, are located at the corners of the plot. Two shared north/south parking courtyards and an east/west pedestrian walkway form part of the building fabric. Together, the buildings form a strip architecture articulated around open common spaces.

The mix of housing types is reflected in the different building heights.

This grid defines strip housing. This type of plan means that we have to work on the height typologies. We have therefore determined the function of a typical T3, which we have adapted by adding volumes on the ground floor, R+1 or R+2. This spatial organization creates an interplay of shapes and volumes, bringing urban richness to the project. The strip layout also enables us to work on the fences in a coherent way. The different typologies create an interplay of depth and intimacy in the gardens. The townhouses and mid-range units are accessed from the north, with a garden to the south. This is achieved by creating an alleyway in the center of the plot.

The terraced houses have north/south through-access. 2/3 of the houses have a central patio that provides natural light to all rooms. This patio is an additional outdoor room that adds quality to the home. The other homes don't have a patio, which creates variety in the homes. We wanted all the houses to have a separate entrance and a south-facing garden. The houses all start from the same base, a T3.

The mid-range units are also all walk-through. Smaller units are located on the ground floor to benefit from a private entrance and garden. Larger units are built into the upper floors to benefit from a south-facing loggia and private balcony access to the east or west.

A number of T4, or T4 chartreuse units, are built on the ground floor, leaning against the common courtyards to create green interior spaces within the lots and create a strong sense of urbanity to the south of lots B10/11.

Each dwelling is designed to reflect the needs of its occupants and, above all, to evolve with them.

For this project, we have designed a family of furnishings to personalize the private spaces. Here is a piece of furniture that can be offered as an option when purchasing the house, and which will be positioned at the bottom of the garden. It includes a compost bin, a water collector and a summer kitchen. It offers new uses for residents.

The outdoor furniture and annexed spaces fit into the built grid. Changes are architecturally controlled and defined by the following diagram.

Bicycle parking facilities are located in the communal courtyards and in two of the intermediate dwellings. Garbage storage and display facilities are located at the edge of the plot, as close as possible to the vehicle access points.

Starting from a common base for lots B09, B10/B11 and B12, the concept developed brings urban diversity to the master plan while controlling its evolution. We paid particular attention to the design of the areas opposite the parking courtyards.

As an extension of the eastern parking lot, we propose a multi-sports field, designed to encourage encounters between local children, but also to provide a wider space for exchange and discussion.

We chose to use the second available space, adjoining the west courtyard, to create a shared garden. This garden is also a meeting place, with a vegetable garden where everyone can share their experiences and give advice. Young plants are grown in the greenhouse, but gardening tools are also stored and neighbors can even eat together under cover. Through a shared activity, bonds are forged.

The shared parking courtyards comply with the joint development zone regulations. The asphalt surface of the vehicular circulation zones is punctuated by tree planting pits every 4 parking spot. Parking spaces are paved in concrete. The swept-concrete pedestrian walkway in the center of the lot is coordinated with the public roads. The sports area is in bush-hammered concrete, with a concrete bleacher and a number of apparatus. The shared vegetable garden features a storage area for tools.

The Toulouse courtyards are the first element in the entrance sequence to the strip homes, with a swept concrete path bordered by a 1.50m-high-galvanized steel storage unit and a small green space.