DISTRICT Heating plant, Lavallée eco-district, Ilot F
The La Vallée eco-district, where the project is located, is committed to developing a more sustainable city — in its design, construction, management, and everyday use. Several initiatives are being implemented simultaneously to promote a circular economy, a low-carbon neighborhood, urban agriculture, and new ways of living.
The installation of a district heating plant within the neighborhood is a key component in the production of renewable energy for the benefit of residents. This facility presents an opportunity to rethink urban energy production: it serves not only a functional purpose but must also blend into its surroundings and coexist with residential buildings located on the same site.
The innovations and construction quality of the heating plant are meant to symbolize its energy production capacity. The block is set within a landscape-driven context, including an urban farm, productive gardens, and green spaces such as La Vallée gardens and Mail des Tilleuls. Both the heating plant and adjacent residential buildings are part of this varied landscape, shaped by the presence of nature and contributing to the everyday identity of a livable and pleasant neighborhood.
The façade design explores concrete as a shared material between the heating plant and the residences. It plays on the contrast between two concrete thicknesses, offering both depth and texture. The wall system includes a concrete structure and internal thermal insulation. The selected concrete will be green-tinted using a translucent stain, with 30% recycled concrete content. The two concrete layers will provide subtle color variations, enhancing the perception of depth and delivering a strong architectural identity to the project.
In the lush setting of the La Vallée eco-district, a symphony of sustainability awakens, carried by a heating plant that infuses renewable energy to its residents. The buildings, akin to works of art, blend seamlessly with their surroundings, intertwining simple forms and green hues. Like a discreet muse, the chimney modestly rises to five meters, honoring the height of the surrounding skies. The concrete façades, designed for both the heating plant and residences, play with a subtle interplay of two layers, integrating both a concrete structure and internal thermal insulation. The green color, achieved with a stain, utilizes 30% recycled concrete, thus offering two variations to enhance the modulation and depth of the façade, adding a distinctive architectural dimension to the project.
