Midnight in Fauboug Saint-Colomban – (77) – France

Project developed with Pier Carlo Bontempi

Project: Competition for a new district in Marne la Vallee

Status: Project

We participated in this competition with Pier Carlo Bontempi for the creation of a new residential area in the spirit of a traditional « faubourg » .

Our aim is to respect the project goals as closely as possible; we quote here from the program:

“Located outside the city walls, the houses are of simple architecture. The neighborhood does not display the wealth and elegance of buildings in the city center.

The low walls that rose up along the main roads, outside the gates, were incorporated into the city as it grew during the 19th century. Later, a suburban development was absorbed into the faubourg without changing its original character.

Here, in the new “faubourg” we do not find large country homes but rather a clear taste for the vernacular. The façades are not sophisticated, their composition instead dictated by practical needs. Only a few buildings display a hint of classical moldings, testimony to their residents’ success in their activities. In this way the desire to enrich the functional simplicity of a home with a semblance of elegance can express the attainment of a certain social standing and success.”