LES 7 SOURCES / EHPAD Bagnols sur Cèze (France) - 2015

Contexte & enjeux

The project’s main challenge is to encourage the establishment of a large-scale facility in the heart of a small town. The urban response is the creation of a low-rise building whose comb-shaped volume favours its integration while protecting it from the predominant climatic constraints (wind and sun).

A central double-height street, the backbone of the project, connects the four accommodation wings which house all the rooms in the units. The gaps thus created are laid out as planted and protected patios, offering residents places to relax, stroll and contemplate.
In order to ensure the architectural quality and durability of the building, the materials used are natural, sustainable and local. The facades are mainly made of unstained concrete in a warm colour that harmonises with the golden colour of the Pierre du Gard and the brown of the wooden cladding. The structural framework and the layout of the concrete, combined with a rich materiality, give rhythm to the facades, creating a singular architectural language anchored in its territory.

The summer comfort of the residents is ensured by shaded outdoor spaces and the installation of concrete canopies, associated with blinds, sheltering large terraces on the upper floors.

Photographs : Nicolas Fussler