LAN Architecture designed this double skinned residential building for a competition in Paris. In July 2008, LAN Architecture lost the invited competition organized by NEXITY for 120 residential apartments in the ZAC Cardinet – Paris XVII, France.

Although they eventually lost out in the competition the building has a number of unique features worth highlighting. The structure of the building is rather distinct because it uses a double skin that helps insulate the building, while the outer most skin produces energy through photovoltaic cells.

From  LAN:

‘The analysis of client ambitions, the specificity of the plot, which presents exceptional qualities due to its bordering position to the park facing South and West, as well as the outstanding direct sights on Paris, drove our researches towards a compact and vertical morphology.

The project compactness, inherited from urban choices, is the occasion to reach very high thermal performances. The envelope is like a thermos flask, with a minimum of accidents interrupting insulation continuity. The volume simplicity opposes a rich and meticulous work of the facades treatment. The facade consists of two superimposed layers. The first layer, drawn by metallic structures, allows energy production through photovoltaic panels, works as a balustrade and plays the role of a sun breaker, regulating solar contributions all year long.

This double skin creates a climatic zone playing a thermal role thanks to air preheating and the limitation of intermediate floors linear thermal bridges. A particular care will be brought to the hanging treatment of the double skin on the facade to limit the punctual thermal bridges formation.’

For more pictures visit: www.lan-paris.com.