Key words:

Project economics, economy of means, circular economy, territorial economy, reuse, housing, equipment, urban strategies, architecture, concrete architecture, representation ….

Presentation:

At a time when contemporary architecture is increasingly seen as a commodity, the “REAAC. Recherches économiques appliquées à l’architecture contemporaine” project studio is interested in exploring the relationships that gravitate between architectural production and its economic dimension. To this end, the studio explores the possibility of architectural design, taking as its starting point the economic question as a formal producer, and its material and usage dimensions.
If we analyze the history of architecture over the last century, we can see a striking consistency between the dominant economic model, market demand, its production model, social value, architectural production and the innovations developed by our society. Economic issues increasingly condition our lives as citizens and our practice as architects. They become an indispensable thermometer influencing our judgment and design choices. They enable us to be credible in architectural production, where any discourse based solely on composition or a certain formal aesthetic rings increasingly hollow. The aim is to make students aware of this fact by designing an architectural project in which the various economic aspects are taken as the starting point for its conception, and not as a subject to be dealt with later. This posture will be as open as possible, in order to bring out the intelligence of the project and its relevance within the socio-economic mechanisms of the fabrication of space. It won’t be a question of creating a thrifty project, nor of “costing” a building (unless you deem it necessary). Rather, we’re interested in understanding how quality in architecture is often linked to the economic dimension of the project (in the broadest sense of the term), and in defining the intrinsic conditions of necessity for each project. The more defined the mastery of constructive systems, resources or uses, the more obvious it becomes to conceive of an experimental posture. All the best examples in our field teach us this. In the end, this framework enables us to take an interest in the formal question, not as an aesthetic act, but as the construction of a critical thought process.

In order to gain an awareness of the subject in all its aspects, this year we’ll be looking at the design of a mixed-use program combining housing and public facilities. These mixed-use programs are playing an increasingly central role in the identification of contemporary territory. Their urban situation, their relationship to the already existing and the economic model that derives from them need to be reconsidered in depth. Imagine a mixed-use building not as a simple exchange value, but as an element that can be sustainably integrated into the socio-economic fabric of a city. To this end, we are interested in identifying what is strictly necessary for a building to “work”.

The studio’s work is based on exploring the possibility of designing an architectural project (by rehabilitating, elevating or rebuilding) that takes into account the specifics of a commission, a program and questions the conceptual and operational tools for its projection.
The aim of the proposed studio is to confront students with an extremely contemporary issue (the economy in the manufacture of space) that highlights the mechanisms of architectural and urban design in all its facets. The aim is to encourage them to take a stand, as architects, on this issue through relevant and feasible architectural proposals. The aim is to consider and critique situations typical of ordinary production, architecture and the city, and then use these skills to formulate alternative proposals in the form of an architectural project. It seems possible to reclaim this conceptual void, and the working group set up by the master’s studio can contribute to this by drawing up a critical reading and formulating concrete proposals. Particular attention will be paid to the material dimension of architectural design, its representation and implementation.

The project sites are renewed each year, and are chosen on the basis of their development needs and their urban and architectural relevance. Each student – in groups for the masters and then individually – will be free to choose their problem and their site of intervention (within the city of action).

The 2025-2028 cycle will explore the theme of the financialization of contemporary real estate. For the 2025-2026 academic year, the focus will be on development projects, with particular attention paid to the Ivry Confluence study site.
This area, located at the gateway to Paris, is of particular interest to us because of its urban evolution and socio-economic transformations. Current urban and economic policies are contributing to profound changes in the city and its environment. In our view, this situation concentrates a multitude of questions likely to fuel future projects.
We will examine the urban fabric as well as current and future projects, from an open perspective aimed at redefining the city in the making, particularly on the bangs of Paris. The project work will be carried out in close collaboration with several local partners.

Option: Student commitment