Carnot
The Carnot project is part of an approach that seeks to enhance the value of forest resources.
The project comprises two buildings arranged to sit harmoniously alongside the remarkable existing built heritage. The residential building facing the street consists of an in-situ concrete base and four storeys built entirely in timber, while the building at the rear of the courtyard is timber-built from the ground floor up. Meeting all the specifications of a passive building, the project should be considered in terms of its contribution to showcasing French forest resources and expertise.
The building at the corner of Rue Carnot and Avenue Gabriel Péri is designed with a stepped profile to maximise sunlight in an urban setting, particularly for the existing building and the garden at the heart of the block.
The project as a whole is organised around a grid designed for timber construction, creating a distinctive architectural expression across the façades. The 290 cm grid allows the use of small-section timber obtained through primary processing, in keeping with the French tradition of timber construction and its economical use of material. The choice of hardwood meets the construction requirements for leaving the timber exposed on the façades while ensuring uniform weathering.
The quality of life within the homes has also been considered with the utmost care: every room receives direct natural light through large openings, and the materials used are predominantly bio-based or earth-based and sourced in France. The homes also place particular emphasis on the quality of their living spaces. They benefit from multiple orientations and generous floor areas.
This project enabled us to implement a construction system developed by our practice, GRAAM: an “all-timber” floor system using primary and secondary joists. Now recommended under France’s New Acoustic Regulations (Nouvelle Réglementation Acoustique, NRA), this system delivers acoustic performance exceeding the standards currently in force.
