Basket Apartments: OFIS Unveils Healthy & Sustainable Student Housing Project in Paris

Some lucky students in Paris get to live in this sweet studio apartment complex in the 19th Arrondissement with views of the Eiffel Tower. <a href="http://www.ofis-a.si/str_9%20-%20HOUSING/7_PARIS_STUDENT_APARTMENTS/ofis_PARIS_STUDENT_APARTMENTS.html" target="_blank">Basket Apartments</a> is a student housing project located on a long narrow lot in between a tram line and a football field. Designed by <a href="http://www.ofis-a.si/" target="_blank">OFIS</a>, the 11-story building features energy efficient design and healthy interiors to help students in their learning process. Featuring two dynamic facades—one wooden and the other created from metal mesh, the apartment building is also powered with <a href="http://inhabitat.com/solar-power">photovoltaic panels</a> and harvests its own rainwater.

Basket Apartments student housing was designed by <a href="http://www.ofis-a.si/" target="_blank">OFIS</a> as part of a larger urban development designed by <a href="http://www.reichen-robert.fr/" target="_blank">Reichen &amp; Robert Architects</a> in Paris' 19th district.

Located on a long narrow lot the edge of Parc La Vilette, the 11-story apartment complex is composed of a series of "baskets" or boxes stacked on top of each other.

Oriented to the north and south, the east facade features timber slats and private balconies.

The west facade contains the circulation corridors and provides access to all the apartments.

A dynamic metal mesh facade shades the western facade from the hot afternoon soon, but still provides views over the football field and to the center of Paris and the Eiffel Tower.

Shared common spaces take up the bottom floors, while the rest contain studio apartments with a kitchenette, bathroom, study area, bed, wardrobe and private patio.

A small ground floor garden separates the two sides of the complex, which is connected by a bridge.

Each apartment was designed to create a healthy interior that would facilitate learning.

With the narrow floor plate, all apartments receive plenty of natural daylighting and cross ventilation.

A high performance facade with 20 cm of insulation works in conjunction with energy efficient mechanical systems to ensure the entire building uses 50KWh/m2 or less.

In addition, a rooftop photovoltaic system generates electricity for the building and rainwater is collected on site in a basin pool and used for watering outdoor green spaces.

Building elements.

Location in the 19th district.