Transformation of a 1960s Residential Highrise
6 October 2012 – 13 January 2013

The exhibition in the context of the ECB’s EUROPE AN CULTURAL DAYS documents the conversion of a typical first-generation residential highrise in the ‘banlieues’ of Paris as a field of experimentation for new forms of living. By converting the Tour Bois Le Prêtre, French architects Anne Lacaton, Jean-Philippe Vassal and Frédéric Druot have made a clear statement in favor of upgrading the sprawling 1960s developments. The apartment footprints were modified slightly and a new glass façade was installed. Winter gardens and balconies extend residents’ living space.