In the suburban neighborhood of Clamart, three detached houses stand side by side, separated by high concrete walls. Each one has its own garden and a strong sense of privacy. This type of fabric reflects a clear desire: to have one’s own home, one’s own piece of land, and a quiet connection to nature. But when repeated over entire neighborhoods, this model leads to low-density urban sprawl, consuming large amounts of land while encouraging separation and car dependency.
This project respects the wish for comfort, privacy, and green space. But it asks how these qualities could come from living together, not just from separate, individual plots. It proposes a semi-collective housing typology that respects the needs of individuals while encouraging a shared, more thoughtful way of inhabiting land.
On the plot, six new residential buildings are added around and between the existing houses. Each new building has two floors, with one apartment per floor. All the homes are connected by a light, open steel walkway on two levels, forming a common access structure that circulates freely between buildings without enclosing them
These typologies are based on two ideas: steps and diagonal views. The steps follow the diagonal, upon entering, the entire depth of the dwelling is revealed, with a plunging view toward nature.
They are designed to be adaptable, allowing residents to adjust the space according to their needs. Curtains follow the beam layout and offer flexibility. They can enlarge bedrooms or create a play area, allow cooking without being seen by guests, they can also separate the glazed living room, creating a quiet space connected to nature. Some furniture elements are also modular: the 40 cm step in the living room can become a seat, and the beds can be converted into desks. This approach gives residents the ability to take control of their home and adapt it over time, like a sailor learning to handle a sailboat, rather than living in a fully automated space like a yacht.
These new homes aim to create comfort in a compact space, without spreading out, in order to preserve natural environments. The aim is to design and to live less in size, but more in quality.
The old concrete walls between the plots are partly removed and reused as retaining walls to create a series of terraced gardens at different levels. These gardens are shared, but their design allows for personal moments. The changes in level help create privacy within shared space, without needing fences or barriers.
The existing houses are renovated while keeping their structure, the central house becomes a shared kitchen and bath area.
This project explores how to densify a suburban area while preserving its qualities. It proposes a type of housing that increases density without extending the city, by reusing existing plots and adapting them to accommodate more households. It aims to offer an alternative to the isolated house model, through shared structures and spaces that maintain privacy and connection to nature.
