University housing – Nancy, France

Close to the historic heart of Nancy, the Boudonville university campus consists of two buildings facing each other, each comprising a central building and two wings with student rooms. The complex is set in wooded grounds.
The project involves major restructuring of the residence, built in 1966, in order to create a new, coherent architectural ensemble that is generous, with enlarged accommodation units, and calmed by the availability and openness of the architecture to its parkland.
The project is based on the simple addition of elements from the original body of the residence, with its façades removed. Prefabricated wooden ‘logettes’ are attached to the original concrete frame, extending the bedroom space by almost 1.5 metres.
The juxtaposition of the wooden structure of the modules with the existing concrete structure is left visible and apparent in the bedrooms, physically demonstrating the fundamentally hybrid nature of this new architectural ensemble. The extension is structurally independent of the original building, integrating the structure, insulation complex, joinery, roller shutters and metalwork.
The overall effect is to create a high-performance envelope from a thermal and acoustic point of view, by replacing the small original openings with full-height windows. The final skin is made up of composite concrete panels whose chromatic variations bring nuance and diversity to a building that lacked them. Balconies further extend the bedroom spaces, and add to the sociability of the façade.