Until the 1970s, the urban texture of the city of Roubaix, France, consisted mainly of industrial factories and worker housing. The demolishing of the factories created a lot of open space in the city. On the one hand these areas are a sign of decay, while on the other they leave an enormous amount of space that can potentially be used for future developments.
The project “Les usines vertes” combines the presence of the factories with that of the urban voids. In the proposal by Atelier Kempe Thill, ring buildings enclose courtyards that contain ecological water cleansing systems and serve as a green oasis for the city. The buildings are very flexible and can be used for apartments and multistory houses as well as offices and shops.
Project
three hundred apartments in the inner city
Status
open competition, honourable mention
Client
Europan FR / City of Roubaix
