“It’s not a utopia», Says Christine Leconte, president of the Order of Architects on the subject of the adaptation of architecture to the challenge of ecological transition. Through feedback from communities, supported by architects to renovate their existing heritage, the Order of Architects wants to show that land is certainly lacking but that there is “invisible land», in underused or abandoned spaces that communities are rehabilitating. The Order provides proof by example, “showing the feasibility of the thing», as explained by Marjan Hessamfar, vice-president of the Order of Architects.
An old farm transformed into five accommodations in Espelette
In Espelette, where residents encounter difficulties in finding accommodation, an old farm with Basque architecture was transformed into five 85 m² (T4) dwellings, each with a garden and open views, via the real solidarity lease, in 2019 This is a system which allows you to own the walls of your home but not the land, an aid to homeownership. This operation fights against the artificialization of land and at the same time offers affordable housing in rural areas. The five families bought their house at 1,992 euros per square meter (compared to 3,200 in the private sector) and pay rent of 90 euros per month for the land.
A market hall transformed into a school group in Lyon
A former market hall built at the end of the 1950s in Lyon was transformed into a school establishment with 15 classes and a crèche with 45 cradles, in March 2023. A gymnasium, a school restaurant and accommodation for a caretaker were also added. The building offers an area of approximately 5,500 square meters, including more than 4,000 rehabilitated and just over 1,000 created at a cost of 13 million euros. Summer comfort has also been considered and sunshades have been installed in the rooms most exposed to the heat and the playgrounds have been greened.
Reconstruction of a ruin in Corsica to create three wooden communal housing units
In the heart of the Corsica regional natural park, an old ruined building has been restored into three municipal housing units, type T2, T3, and T4. A local wood, Laricio pine, was chosen for this restoration. A short circuit architecture. The wood supply actually takes place less than 63 kilometers from the site. A low-carbon operation that promotes the use of biosourced materials. Mapping of forest resources has been put in place to avoid depopulating the island of its trees.
A vacant former military barracks occupied for three years by an emergency accommodation center
The former Exelmans barracks in the 16th arrondissement of Paris will be transformed into 50 social housing units, 79 housing units for people in difficulty and a crèche with 36 cots as well as offices at the end of 2025. From 2019 to 2023, instead of remaining vacant, the place tested temporary occupation, during the study phase of reconversion of the site. It was thus occupied for three years by an emergency accommodation center managed by the Aurore association. Originally dedicated to police housing, this transformation project is based on the preservation of what already exists, under the aegis of Paris Habitat.
