Suburban Paris Complex Undergoes Major Renovations

The Aillaud Towers in Suburban Paris, about to undergo major renovations.

28 May 2019 | Nanterre, France

The City of Nanterre presented its project to renovate the Aillaud towers, also known as the Cloud Towers, located in the heart of the Pablo-Picasso district. Patrick Jarry, the mayor of the city, presented the project to the Ministry of Culture on 24 May, 2019. Jarry anticipates approval in order to begin construction in the fall of 2019.

The towers, which contain public housing, were built in the 1970s, designed by architect Émile Aillaud, as part of the architectural heritage of Ile-de-France. The towers are circular, which gives them the outline of a cloud when seen from the sky. The façade is covered with mosaics.

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These changes aim to diversify the Pablo-Picasso neighborhood, which is composed of 95 percent social housing.

The renovation project will not affect the shape of buildings or windows. On the other hand, the appearance of the towers could radically change. The architects who won the contract propose to cover the buildings in a steel skin. “For the color, it will be stainless steel, which will reflect the light in different ways depending on the brightness, orientation or the clouds in the sky,” says Dominique Renaud, architect of the Agency RVA.

Those who appreciate the tower’s mosaics must spend a lot of money to maintain them. “Donors spend EU€500,000–800,000 (US$559,000–894,000) a year for earthenware that peels every day and sometimes falls with pieces of concrete,” says Dominique Renaud. Bertrand Monchecourt, architect at DPLG, explains that water seeps through the joints and oxidizes the iron in the walls, causing the concrete to burst.

The architect studied the possibility of renovating one of the towers while preserving the mosaics.

The architects agree with the city and donors, and have proposed changing the use of certain towers. One will be demolished to allow easier access to André Malraux Park. The six others will no longer accommodate social housing.

In total, nearly 500 social housing units will give way to 260 housing units and 20,000 square meters of activities, services and equipment.

These changes aim to diversify the Pablo-Picasso neighborhood, which is composed of 95 percent social housing. “This neighborhood in social and urban crisis needs a strong symbol to regain hope and confidence,” said the mayor, who stands behind his sometimes-controversial decisions.

For more on this story go to 20 minutes.