French studio Chatillon Architectes has remodeled a Nineteen Fifties publish workplace in Brittany into flats, including an extension with a glass-brick facade.
The conversion of the historic landmark in central Brest, close to the outdated fortifications of the coastal metropolis, has created 93 residences, alongside communal areas and places of work for the postal service.
It’s the third chapter for the constructing on Rue de Siam, which was initially in-built 1927 as an artwork deco-style publish workplace by architect Georges Milineau. It was later reconstructed after Brest was bombed in world struggle two.
Described by Chatillon Architectes as a “dreary administrative constructing”, the prevailing workplace adopted a U-shaped plan round a central courtyard partially coated by the primary flooring.
This central house, as soon as house to the previous postal sorting centre, is now house to the residence block’s communal space with an exterior patio backyard.
The brand new wing includes a concrete and glass-brick exterior and is about on six structural columns. Its place allowed the studio to create an entrance courtyard accessible by the outdated porch on one aspect, in addition to an enclosed backyard accessible from the frequent areas on the opposite.
“The brand new wing includes a glass-brick facade, the fabric which serves as a homage to a beforehand eliminated addition, and concrete that enhances the prevailing stone, granite, and concrete,” mentioned studio companion Simon Chatillon.
The glass-brick facade goals to offer a contemporary high quality to the constructing, whereas the concrete is softened by picket loggias within the interior backyard.
“Heat to the design is launched via Douglas fir wooden loggias, with the wooden chosen for its resilience to the town’s wet local weather,” added Chatillon.
The Brest Submit Workplace mission features a complete of 93 residences starting from studios to two-bed flats with 81 within the current constructing and 12 within the extension. Every flat has its personal kitchen and loo.
Till just lately, the Brest Submit Workplace website was owned solely by Poste Immobilier, the true property subsidiary of French postal service La Poste, which as soon as ran a busy sorting workplace from the town centre hub. Nevertheless, equally to many French publish places of work, sorting operations in Brest have been moved out of the town to the outskirts, leaving La Poste without having for such giant premises.
The Brest Submit Workplace, which is being redeveloped in partnership with Arapace Group, is a part of a wider initiative by La Poste to remodel unused metropolis centre buildings in its property into housing for aged residents.
Chatillon mentioned the conversion of Brest Submit Workplace will assist revive the area people and the encompassing metropolis.
“Adaptive reuse isn’t solely a extra sustainable strategy to city growth but in addition fosters connections between the previous and future, making certain that the constructing stays built-in with its environment whereas persevering with to serve the neighborhood,” he mentioned.
“Within the case of the Brest Submit Workplace, the creation of city-centre housing for all ages contributes to the vitality of each the area people and the town.”
Chatillon Architectes is a French structure studio based by Francois Chatillon in 1986 with places of work in Paris and Geneva.
Alongside Brest Submit Workplace, the studio just lately accomplished its Grand Palais restoration and its revamp of the Île-des-Vannes sports activities complicated, which have been each carried out in time for the Paris Olympics.
The images is by Antoine Mercusot.
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