Location: Paris, France
Developer: Sempariseine
Designers: AUA Paul Chemetov, Jean-François Schmit Architectes, Naud & Poux Architectes, Brenac & Gonzales, Michel Guthmann, Petitdidier Prioux Architectes, Ameller & Dubois Associés, Daufresne, Le Garrec & Associés, and Brossy & Associés

The Boucicaut Eco-Neighborhood, certified by the Ministry of Housing, Territorial Equality, and Rurality in December 2014, spans some three hectares (7.4 ac) across Paris’s 15th Arrondissement in a densely populated residential and family-oriented neighborhood. This urban space was previously home to the Boucicaut Hospital, which closed in 2000. The city of Paris has set out to reclaim this space by creating a fully pedestrian neighborhood that offers high environmental quality and a commercial space, and is respectful of both the architectural and landscaped legacy left by the site and the philanthropic spirit of Marguerite Boucicaut, its original benefactor.

The redevelopment program offers exceptional social and generational diversity, in particular through the variety of housing types offered: public housing, rent-controlled housing, private rental housing, lease-purchase housing, and a social housing complex for migrant workers. The housing units were designed to combine conveniences with limited expenses for the future inhabitants. All the buildings have been certified with the French “Habitat et Environnement” environmentally friendly award and are in compliance with the city of Paris’s climate plan, featuring green installations such as solar-heated water tanks, rain-recovery systems, high-efficiency cooling, and water management systems. Across the various buildings, the ground-floor facilities include community amenities ranging from a cultural center, to day centers for the disabled, and apartments for women in distress. Various biodiversity supports also were implemented into the development’s design to support local flora and fauna.