Community of rooftop homes for older Parisians
Sterling Boarder by Nina Antin, Claire Chabrol and Sibylle Metge-Toppin
This project proposes a community of new rooftop homes for older Parisians who want to live independently in the heart of the city but whose needs can’t be met by their current accommodation. As an alternative to moving to the edges of the city, the Sterling Boarder concept creates housing on a rooftop extension to an existing low-rise building.
The development is set back from the facade and looks inwards with two rows of flats stretching back towards the rear of the site overlooking a courtyard. Each faces onto a generous balcony walkway, with bridges linking the two. This passageway is envisaged as a key space for boarders to interact with their neighbours, and will be populated by plant boxes, climbing plants and seating. At the far end of the site, the development incorporates a vegetable garden and community spaces.
SterlingOSB Zero is used throughout as the main roof and wall structure, kitchen units, mobile walls and floor finishes, with the spatial dimensions driven by those of the sheet product. The simple plan can be adapted to suit residents with a movable, insulated partition OSB stud wall and bi-folding OSB doors to the kitchen. A fold-out bed is integrated into storage cupboards. The facade of each flat can be opened up to the communal balcony walkway. Solar panels power electricity and underfloor heating.
The simple construction process means the structure can be dismantled and reconfigured into another building should the need arise. The entrants think this modular living could be replicated elsewhere in Paris and in other cities as well, with scope for the new accommodation to provide facilities that could be used by residents of the rest of the building too.
Raise the Roof was produced in association with Norbord Europe
Introduction
This year's judging process
Winner
Rooftop Refuge by Reed Watts Architects
Commended
Temple Heights/Music with a view by Soraya Somarathne, Studio Soraya
In Season – House by Alessandro Tessari