Residence of the Oceanographic Observatory at Banyuls-sur-Mer
Residence (75 apartments T1) for short-term stays for students and researchers at the Université Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris VI) on the site of the Oceanographic Observatory at Banyuls-sur-Mer (a seaside resort in the eastern Pyrenees – France). The programme also includes a catering space for about 100 for all users of the Observatory.
A rectangular monolith faced entirely in a coral-pink cladding, the project overlooks the marina and is a landmark of the town’s waterfront. Behind this undulating wrapping we find the minimalist form of the main body of residential rooms, defined by a peripheral layout: walkways that are both balconies and access to the accommodation.
On the first floor, the restaurant is located and its presence is indicated with a large gash in the coral wapping, a window that lets the landscape in and offers a view out to sea. This regular volume is set on a massive plinth eroded in an unusual way by concrete caves, in the middle of which the main entrance is cut.