This building was originally designed by French Architect, Raymond Lopez. But unfortunately, built in the sixties, this 16-storey building containing 96 apartment, has seen its better days. It was no longer compliant with more modern standards, so there was need for an upgrade.(7) The new architects on this project, Anne Lacaton and Jean Phillippe Vassal, were determined to keep the original Tour Bois le prêtre social housing building, which was initially expected to be demolished and rebuilt. The duo thought best to renovate instead, which would greatly reduce both the environmental impact and the cost of the project, which were both important factors in the design. Lacaton & Vassal, as a firm, are no strangers to sustainability themselves. “The French duo of Anne Lacaton and Jean-Phillippe Vassal are known for their delicate interventions, repurposing neglected structures with apparent effortlessness” (8)Their style revolves around the motto, “Use what is there, stay simple, embrace open air, and honour light, freedom, and grace” (8) “They practice social Architecture based on economy, modesty, and the found beauty of environments.” (8)Their moral and simplistic, but unique, ways is what makes them so successful and acknowledged. Their eccentric methods did not lack in their transformation of the Tour Bois le Prêtre. This 1960s apartment block in Paris had little to offer when the team were first encountered with the project, but they still stood their ground and preached what they believed in, “ “It never pays to demolish social housing in favour of building a new replacement. The cost of renovation will always be lower. Instead, respect should be shown for good and solid buildings that can readily be remodelled and transformed into new and inviting neighbourhoods…The cost of building a brand new high-rise could easily run to twice as much, regardless of how green the replacement building might be,” says Anne Lacaton”” (9)

The duo teamed up with fellow French architect, Frédéric Druot, and managed to renovate this building in a way that would win awards and set a precedent for future designs. Not only did the team retain a lot of the building’s floor plate and internal design, but also did so in a way that allowed the residence to stay living in their homes throughout the renovations. (10)This was accomplishable due to their use of prefabricated construction elements. (10)To increase the space for the residence, the architects extended the floor plate of each level to create extra living space and glazed balconies. The apartments were separated from the new balconies by new floor-to-ceiling windows which provided huge amounts of natural light to everybody living in the block.(7) This design not only expanded the space, but also gave the illusion of never ending space with the large windows that give a view of Paris. So, in this case, the glazing could be seen as ambiguously used to give the illusion of even more generous space, and of course provide daylight to each apartment, which can lift a space’s mood alone. “By introducing more daylight into the buildings, removing as many walls as possible, adding enhanced acoustics and using glass as extra cladding around the building, the architects succeeded in giving old buildings a whole new lease of life. In most cases, the extension of each housing unit by means of added glazing and light has also meant more living space for the residents.” (9)Adding light to the space was very important for Lacaton & Vassal and Drout.

This is of course clear from their design strategy, but if that wasn’t enough proof, this design helped win them the Daylight and Building Component award (by the VILLIUM and the VELUX foundations) in 2011. This award was worth €100,000 and recognised “Lacaton & Vassal’s long-standing work on daylighting.” The transformation of Tour Bois le Prêtre, wasn’t the only social housing building that they wanted to renovate. Together with Drout, they set up a social housing initiative called ‘Plus’. This initiative called for the remodelling of older social housing buildings to create better, more usable living spaces, instead of their re-construction from scratch. (9)Like in this particular project, they believe, as they should, that light is essential to all buildings, big or small. All project deserve to be well lit for the residence living inside. “Light is vital for plants, animals and human beings alike. But buildings too benefit from abundant daylight. This is true not least in social housing in deprived neighbourhoods, where simple effects and plenty of daylight can give classic concrete tower blocks a whole new lease of life. This discipline is mastered by the two French architects Anne Lacaton and Jean-Philippe Vassal.”(9)                                                          So, how does this building respond to the questions at the beginning of this essay. How does this project deal with daylight throughout the year? We can see that this building has glazing encompassing the façade, giving each apartment their abundance of daylight. The floor-to-ceiling windows allow no daylight to be missed by any part of the internal spaces, making it successful in this regard. How does this project manage glare? There has been no reported issues with glare in this project. In this instance, the architects have opted for blinds to control glare, and add some much needed privacy to the each apartment. And finally, Is the quality of light in this space adequate? And, Is the quantity of light at an ample but comfortable level given its use? For both of these questions, we can safely answer, yes. There is both quality and quantity of light in these spaces. This was clearly a very thought out renovation, and the architects left nothing to chance. And most importantly, they made the importance of light a focal point of the design, and they did so in an practical but visually pleasing way.

7.        Frearson A. Tour Bois-le-Prêtre by Frédéric Druot, Anne Lacaton and Jean-Philippe      Vassal. Dezeen. 2013; 

8.        Ireland C. Lacaton & Vassal’s Lesson in Building Modestly. Archdaily. 2015; 

9.        daylight award 2011. velux Found.