Trévoux 84 Housing Units by Tectoniques

Located in the Orfèvres eco-district in Trévoux, on the banks of the Saône, the Trévoux 84 Housing Units project by Tectoniques contributes to the sustainable development vision of this new 10-hectare neighborhood. Developed by SERL, the district sits to the east of the historic town center, surrounded by a calm, predominantly residential environment. The master plan emphasizes soft mobility, reduced car dependency, and seamless integration with the existing urban and natural fabric.

The eco-district is organized around a large public park extending southward along a former railway line that once connected Trévoux to Lyon Croix Rousse. Lot B4, the plot designed by Tectoniques, directly borders this park, giving the housing complex an advantageous position within the green network. The design responds to the landscape context by ensuring strong visual and physical connections between the buildings, the park, and the surrounding pedestrian pathways.

Bioclimatic and Spatial Strategy

The project’s design principles are grounded in bioclimatic architecture, where sunlight, natural ventilation, and topography define the massing and orientation of the buildings. The four housing blocks follow the site’s natural slope, stepping from R+2 at the park’s edge to R+4 and R+5 towards the urban side. This thoughtful progression not only harmonizes with the terrain but also ensures optimal daylight access and expansive views over the park and landscape.

The layout promotes openness, cross-ventilation, and connection. Transitional spaces between public streets and private dwellings are carefully articulated to enhance a sense of community and permeability. The courtyard arrangement allows all apartments to benefit from through or triple orientation, reinforcing both comfort and environmental performance.

At the heart of the block lies a shared garden, woven with footpaths and community terraces. A guesthouse, constructed with reused materials from the site, offers shared accommodation options for residents — a nod to circular economy principles and social inclusivity. The open-air hallways, sheltered yet naturally ventilated, align with the eco-district’s pedestrian character, encouraging informal interactions among residents.

Architecture and Construction Logic

Tectoniques adopts a hybrid structural system that merges timber and concrete technologies to achieve balance between sustainability, durability, and cost efficiency. The southern buildings, with heights below eight meters, are constructed entirely in wood, emphasizing lightness and ecological responsibility. The northern buildings, being taller, employ a wood-concrete hybrid system for greater structural stability.

This combination reflects Tectoniques’ philosophy of hybridization and pragmatic collaboration, rather than strict adherence to a single construction technique. The architecture expresses its structural logic openly, celebrating the tectonic nature of the materials. The visible exoskeleton of wooden posts and slabs articulates the façade’s rhythm, giving the complex a distinct architectural identity.

Façade Design and Material Expression

The defining feature of the buildings is their perimeter balcony system, supported by a timber exo-structure partially clad in metal. The façade grid is intentionally fine-tuned to refine the proportions of the load-bearing elements. Vertical timber posts dominate the composition, introducing a sense of rhythm, depth, and shadow play.

This depth transforms the façades into dynamic surfaces that evolve with changing light conditions. The metalwork elements—including railings, dividers, deflectors, and fascia panels—are lacquered in bright colors, adding a lively visual layer and enhancing the overall identity of the housing complex. These vivid hues subtly reference modernist aesthetics, reinterpreted in a contemporary and context-sensitive way.

The result is an architecture that balances rigor and warmth, where the graphic interplay of verticals and horizontals softens the mass of the buildings and integrates them elegantly into the surrounding landscape.

Living Comfort and Environmental Quality

The design of the apartments prioritizes quality of life, flexibility, and energy performance. Each unit benefits from natural light and ventilation, with spaces arranged for comfort and practicality. The layout clearly separates day and night zones, while wrap-around balconies, 1.8 meters deep, extend the interior living spaces outdoors.

The post-and-slab construction system offers residents freedom in organizing their interiors, enabling adaptable layouts that evolve with changing needs. This flexibility is complemented by generous glazing, which ensures both visual connection to the outdoors and passive solar gains during cooler months.

The parking facilities are cleverly integrated into the northern slope, naturally lit and ventilated to minimize energy use while preserving the aesthetic integrity of the landscaped surroundings.

Sustainability and Community Integration

The Trévoux 84 Housing Units exemplify a sustainable and community-oriented approach to contemporary housing. The integration of reused materials, the emphasis on walkability, and the inclusion of shared facilities reflect a holistic ecological vision. The architectural expression, though contemporary, remains contextually grounded, fostering harmony between built form, nature, and human scale.

Tectoniques’ project reinforces the eco-district’s identity as a green, low-carbon neighborhood where architecture acts as both shelter and social infrastructure. Through its combination of bioclimatic design, structural innovation, and communal values, the Trévoux development stands as a model for future urban housing in France.

Photography: Maxime Verret