Studies of rehabilitation of degraded housing in an agreement with the Fabrique des Quartiers
For the past four years, sam.banchet has been conducting studies on the rehabilitation of degraded housing in an agreement with the Fabrique des Quartiers, a development company renowned for its fine work and innovative intervention in the distressed neighbourhoods of the Lille metropolis.
These projects are part of complex technical and economic contexts, requiring specific methods in particular to reduce vacancy and to re-develop the attractiveness of this difficult neighborhoods.
Regional
France
Lille Metropolis, in North of France
Mainly urban
It refers to a physical transformation of the built environment (hard investment)
No
No
Yes
2022-12-31
As a representative of an organisation
Name of the organisation(s): sam.banchet studio d'architecture Type of organisation: For-profit company First name of representative: Martine Last name of representative: Sam Gender: Female Nationality: France Function: Co- manager of sam.banchet Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: 19bis rue Nicolas Leblanc Town: Lille Postal code: 59000 Country: France Direct Tel:+330359547650 E-mail:admin@sambanchet.com
Since 2018, sam.banchet has been conducting studies on the rehabilitation of degraded housing in an agreement with the Fabrique des Quartiers, a development company renowned for its fine and innovative work of intervention in Lille’s troubled neighbourhoods. As a tool dedicated to neighbourhoods with old housing, the Fabrique des Quartiers aims to manage “all actions that contribute to the requalification and revitalization of neighbourhoods with degraded old housing”. The programmes entrusted to it combine the absorption of unsanitary housing, the requalification of degraded housing, micro-projects for urban renewal and actions to revitalize neighbourhoods.
These rehabilitation projects are part of complex technical and economic contexts, requiring specific methods in particular to reduce vacancy (habitat and trade) and to develop attractiveness.
Very present in North of France, especially in urban centres, the industrial working-class housing is representative of old working-class neighbourhoods linked to the regional industrial past of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Because of its strong identity, it holds valuable heritage value. Unfortunately, this residential heritage is being degraded or even abandoned. It has undergone many transformations related to health issues and the improvement of the living environment.
Ad hoc measures will make it possible to maintain overall coherence and to preserve the identity and architectural richness of our region and thereby, produce an offer which meets the diversity of the needs of the inhabitants.
Attractivity
Aesthetic
Inclusion
Quality
Recycling
There are multiple objectives in this project in terms of sustainability :
- First, improving the energy performance of houses without distorting their traditional architecture.
Indeed, the disorderly construction of extensions arranged in the core of blocks in order to accommodate the sanitary facilities, the kitchen or simply the extension of a living room when the family grows, is often a source of significant energy losses. It is therefore essential to remedy this while preserving the traditional architecture of these old houses that is characteristic of our regional identity.
- Then, promote a bioclimatic orientation in the distribution of rooms for better gain and comfort and allow a reduction in heating and air conditioning expenses while enjoying a very pleasant living environment.
- And finally, promote the recycling of materials and the re-use of existing elements and the advantageous savings that this implies.
It is therefore essential to make an inventory of the remarkable elements to be preserved (cupboard, fireplace, earthenware, mouldings...) to preserve the identity and history of the place and re-use the equipment (sanitary, heaters...) towards a more sustainable building economy.
In terms of aesthetics and quality of experience, the project’s key objective is the apprehension of materiality as a criterion of durability. First of all, by integrating the creation of windows or doors into the composition of the original facades and walls. Secondly, by staying in the original materials and colors on the main elements so that the homogeneous urban overall effect of the street is preserved. Then, by allowing themselves, if necessary, a more nuanced palette to bring punctuation to the street. And finally, by preserving the remarkable elements specific to this type of habitat.
In terms of inclusion, there are three key objectives:
- Integrating accessibility and adaptability as a responsibility in the project development
It means to present a diversified offer in terms of living, with family housing, shared and evolutive housing, adaptable or adapted housing... Or improve the home of elderly or disabled people. This is to provide a «unit of life» on a single level: kitchen, bathroom, toilet, living room and bedroom.
It also is to prefer the possibility of making an independent room (with a water room) for example for the evolution of the family (independence of a young adult, welcoming of an elderly person following the death of the spouse, rental of the room following the departure of a child, guest room...).
- The second objective in terms of inclusion is to let multiple combinations possible, to offer possibilities of expansion through a volume (for example double height habitable by adding a future mezzanine) and thus to minimize further interventions on the building frame.
- The third one is to anticipate and think about possibilities of extension in the core of the block.
The prior knowledge of the future inhabitants cannot be assured and so the architect will be free to apprehend the evolution in the time of the occupation or to imagine different modes of living and thus, revitalize a neighbourhood by making the accommodation attractive and by making it able to become a factor of social diversity in these troubled neighbourhoods.
The prior knowledge of the future inhabitants cannot be assured and so the architect will be free to apprehend the evolution in the time of the occupation or to imagine different modes of living and thus, revitalize a neighborhood by making the accommodation attractive and by making it able to become a factor of social diversity in these troubled neighborhoods.
In those programs, the main stakeholders in local because La Fabrique des Quartier is working in Lille Metropolis but each region, each country, and each territory have its architectural specificities. So the program could be transferred to anywhere and even think in a bigger scale (Regional, National or International).
The projects carried out with La Fabrique des Quartiers are rooted in an approach of sustainability, adaptability, inclusion, and aesthetics. Indeed, it is a question of providing a clear and sensible response to the problems of vacancy in the Lille metropolis while respecting the specificities of old districts and putting special attention on the sustainability of housing, energy expenditure and material recycling. This is why the approach initiated by this collaboration fits perfectly in these three areas, which are sustainability, inclusion, aesthetics, and quality of experience.
Since 2018 and the beginning of this collaboration, 38 apartments have been renovated or are being renovated right now. All of those help meet the needs of the territory and the communities by fighting against the vacancy and making available quality housing that is both ecological, sustainable, qualitative and aesthetic for the people who need it the most in the old districts in difficulties of the Lille metropolis.
Usually, these degraded habitats remain unchanged, in fallow for various reasons: the too expensive price of the works of rehabilitation, the difficulties of projection in the buildings, the difficulties to manage the administrative aspect of the rehabilitation, unsanitary housing conditions, etc.
This program makes these habitats sustainably useful in time and adaptable to any type of inhabitant. As a result, these renovated homes will no longer be vacant (for ever) and will benefit the community through future generations.
The procedure is as follows:
- Contract agreement by signing a purchase order with clarification of the phases to be carried out
- Monitoring of the different phases of architecture
- Regular consultations with the contracting authority through construction site meetings and various organizational meetings
It should be noted that the principles to always take into account when drawing up plans and projects are those of sustainability, recycling, quality, adaptability and inclusion.
Each rehabilitation, each housing typology is different and raises its own questions. That’s why it is not possible to generalize the principles of rehabilitation.
However, the implementation of all those projects follows a clear procedure and can therefore be transferred to other contexts without great difficulty.
Each region, each country, and each territory have its architectural specificities. All urban areas could benefit from this type of program on their own scale. Thereby, the rehabilitation of old neighbourhoods is a global challenge for urban environments throughout Europe.
Not only does this program help to combat the vacancy and thus offer more housing to the inhabitants in urban areas where the population is saturated and where it is increasingly complicated to live. But above all, it is a question of providing quality and energy-efficient housing that can be adapted to all members of a community, no matter how diverse they may be.
By densifying the city through the rehabilitation of diffuse housing, we also help to combat urban sprawl.
