13 - Résidence Julie-Victoire Daubié

13 - Résidence Julie-Victoire Daubié - Bruther - 2018

27f Bd Jourdan, Paris

Bruther, a contraction of the names of its founders Stephanie Bru and Alexandre Theriot, was created in 2007. Today, the office is active in the fields of architecture, research, education, urbanism and landscape. Bruther is known for its commitment to socially engaged and responsible architecture. They have three main guideline : performance, economy (financial and material) and transparence. The studio was in charge of the project and construction of the Julie-Victoire Daubié residence for researchers that is located at the southern end of the Cité Universitaire park.

Unencumbered on its four sides, the residence is identifiable as a “split and raised” cube. The first floor of apartments is 2m90 above the ground level of the Cité Universitaire. The 106 apartments are distributed over seven levels. The entrance areas are therefore covered by the underside of the housing block, made of silky ribbed concrete. The typological organization of the plan resides in three parallel strips oriented on a north—south line: two are dedicated to housing units and between them, a hollow strip accommodates all circulation cores. On the eighth floor, the circulation area widens to a large terrace, protected by clear railings, while the top of the “East strip” houses a fitness room, these common facilities affirm the collective aspect of the building, as well as its relationship with its environment.The layout of the dwellings is based on a grid (6.30 m x 6.65m) to compact the service rooms and offer open living spaces.

The structural efficiency and the singularity of the context allow the façade to take the form of a majestic curtain wall. More than a contemporary re-reading of the pavilion typology, this new residence becomes a casket of glass and metal, promoting transparency between exterior and interior, privacy of the housing and spectacle of the périphérique ring road. The moving view is also a component of the building design. During the day, its glass facades grant it a majesty. At night, the lights of the apartments turn the building into a lantern. 64