The Cloud

The Cloud, a residential building by XTU Architectes, is respectful of the site and the existing Parisian architectural heritage, while innovative in its proposal for a new urban volumetry.

The Clouds’ project by studio XTU, an old nursing school built in 1972, is located in the heart of the small island at the bottom of the Jardin des Peupliers, in the 13th arrondissement of Paris. The restructuring of this office building offers now housing, a child care and three townhouses. It is a project respectful of the site and the existing Parisian architectural heritage, while innovative in its proposal for a new urban volumetry. The idea is to preserve the visual continuity and the biodiversity of the protected vegetation to restore luminosity into the island’s heart. It is located in an urban jungle, the trees are already large. An asset to become a refuge of biodiversity. There is a dimension of freedom taken by nature that inspires the whole project: the landscape, the architecture and the program.

Img.1 XTU, The Cloud, Paris, 2017

Img.2 XTU, The Cloud, Paris, 2017

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PLAN MASSE_A3

Img.20 XTU, The Cloud, site plan

PLAN RDJ_A3

Img.20 XTU, The Cloud, basement plan

PLAN RDC_A3

Img.20 XTU, The Cloud, ground floor plan

PLAN R+2_A3

Img.20 XTU, The Cloud, second floor plan

PLAN R+3_A3

Img.20 XTU, The Cloud, third floor plan

PLAN TERRASSE_A3

Img.20 XTU, The Cloud, ninth floor plan

COUPE_A3

Img.20 XTU, The Cloud, section

The main building is reworked, the old longitudinal movements are modified. The project consists of two stairwells, which serve on average six units on the current floor. In order to bring the light back into the depths of the dwellings, the existing false ceilings are removed. The facades in curtain wall are height in silkscreened glass. This restructuring is a real technical challenge because fire safety has been the subject of an important study. The cantilevered boxes and terraces are extruded from the facade, some up to six meters. These eruptions contribute to the grading of volumes and meet the surface requirement.

The theme of the facade is the “cloud”: they are made of silk screened glass: white points with a cloudy pattern. On the one hand, the silk-screening filters offer the solar contributions while leaving an effect of great luminosity and continuity of the glazing; and on the other hand, it hides the sill for a better reading of the building. Views from the outside, these facades preserve the intimacy of the inhabitants.

The Cloud, Paris
Program: housing
Architect: XTU – Anouk Legendre, Nicolas Desmazieres
Progect leader: Ana Vida, Stefania Maccagnan, Mélanie Bury
Design team: Andrea Panzienza, Delphine Isart, Joan Tarragon, Emile Miath, Anaïs Piquée, Trian Bompa, Rémi Menchat, Compagnie de Phalsbourg, Iulia Delcea, Min Hyun Ju, Manuel Belso, Guillaume Dachy, Francesca Biasco, Alessandro Filippi
Area: 8,220 sqm
Completion: 2017