A tree-lined housing complex frames a naturalistic garden

The housing complex, containing 162 units and a daycare, blends seamlessly into both the many surrounding green spaces and the urban environment.

Located to the east of the Palace of Versailles near the Avenue de Paris, the project site is in a residential neighborhood boasting numerous schools, sports facilities, and cultural centers – all surrounded by wooded greenery.

To make the new construction less imposing, the complex is split into seven distinct buildings arranged around a planted “courtyard.” This “courtyard” or “compound” layout takes inspiration from the Versailles design style. The site is lined with two rows of small European hornbeams interspersed with larger trees. This planting layout echoes that of the city of Versailles, a historic design by André le Nôtre. Here, however, tree species and sizes break from their traditional uniform rows, creating a dense landscape that links the new buildings with surrounding structures. The central clearing offers unobstructed views out onto the neighborhood, running north-south and east-west.

At the heart of the complex sits a large garden. Its surface area, similar in size to the Harvard campuses (Cambridge, Massachusetts), offers space for planting large trees alongside existing ones. The canopy fans out before the buildings, minimizing views between units. Garden level units feature small terraces that blend into the undergrowth. Abundant groundcover plants line the buildings, offering these units greater privacy. Native plants, mainly deciduous species, filter sunlight in the summer while boosting it in the winter.

The central clearing is crisscrossed with paths connecting the different buildings. Pavers with grass joints blur the lines between hardscape and softscape. Our project combines paved and planted spaces to make one whole, alternating between permeable, semi-permeable, and impermeable surfaces. The result optimizes rainwater infiltration and effectively incorporates nature into the urban environment.

The central garden offers the perfect space for community life, encouraging activities from relaxing, to reading, to gardening, to play, and so much more.