Barre Cassan
The times are changing. A demolition permit was granted in 2016 for the Cassan F housing block, but common sense ultimately prevailed. The building would instead be kept and converted into housing for students and researchers, which lacked on the university’s Jussieu campus. This was a major sign that the "clean slate" design philosophy in urban planning was being abandoned as part of a broader reconsideration of urgent environmental issues. Our proposal fits squarely within this new philosophy of reuse and transformation. It involves changing uses, with laboratories converted to housing, as well as careful, considered changes to the existing structure and a responsible, creative design.
Gaël Lesterlin, Project director
Constance de Zuttere, Project manager
Adrien Leroy, Project assistant
Raphaël Guillemette, Project assistant
FORR, Landscaper
Gamba, Acoustic
FL ingénierie, Economist
GEOTEC, Geotechnics
CE & ingénierie, Structure engineering firm
Inex SAS, MEP engineering consultancy
Cabinet CDB, Asbestos consultancy
Heritage and the environment go hand in hand
With the decision made to keep the building, this project gave us an opportunity to show just how well an existing structure could be repurposed for new uses and programmes. Our design philosophy focused on minimising demolition and maximising reuse. Demolish less, reuse more, recycle what can be recycled: these three principles helped us cut waste to a minimum and reduce the need for new resources, increase flexibility and reversibility, and use locally sourced organic materials. Our team’s environmental ambitions were manifested in the resilient, low-carbon renovation. Key measures included introducing natural ventilation that reused existing shafts, reusing laboratory fittings like benches, boards, and fume hoods in the new student living spaces and lodges, reusing bricks from partition walls for landscaped ground surfaces, and repurposing stones from the boundary wall facing the rue Cuvier to build low walls and foundations elsewhere on site.