La maison du projet La Lanière
Developer
SEM Ville Renouvelée
La maison du projet La Lanière has in particular the function to raise awareness of new construction methods. © Hendrik Verlinden
On the former industrial site La Lainière, situated between Wattrelos and Roubaix, a new district with mixed functions is being developed. One of the buildings is La maison du projet, which has the function to present the history of the site and the urban project, welcome residents and communities for events and in particular to raise awareness of new construction methods. It is completed in 2014. However, La maison du projet is not intended to stay, it will be removed when the whole site is fully developed. The construction is intended to be disassembled and to be reassembled at another site.
La maison du projet is the first building in France which is conceived C2C (Cradle to Cradle). Before construction, the site was analysed (land, stones, etc.) to decide which materials in de field could be sorted and re(used). All the materials used in the construction are non-toxic and bio-based. The components and the elements are modular and dismountable to reduce the waste. The spaces in the building can easily adapt to different functions and can accommodate various audiences.
The building is based on metal piles that can be removed when dismantling the building. On these piles, a bolted metal girder structure is placed. This foundation solution is perfectly compatible with the timber structure of the building and with the C2C concept (completely removable and reusable). Wooden panels are mounted on the timber structure. These panels of 2,5 m height are prefabricated. They can be assembled thanks to a system of fitting keys installed at both sides of the panels. The elements of the panels are assembled by dry connections, screws and bolts, in order to be demounted easily. In some panels the inner elements are replaced by polycarbonate.
The assembly process of the façade panels. © Carlos Arroyo Architects
The demountable foundation consists of metal piles and a bolted metal girder structure.
© SimPile
Element - Interfaces
1. Reversible joints in the building elements: Reversible connections have been used. In this case, most connections are reversible because the aim of the building is to be able to be disassembled and reassembled at another location. For example, the wooden panels, the structure and the foundation are connected by reversible connectors, such as nuts, bolts and screws.
2. Simple: The designers have considered simplifying the connections and the assembly. The façade panels are prefabricated, and it seems only few connectors are needed to assemble the façade panels to the structure. However, we do not know how many connectors are needed exactly, or if all connection techniques are standardised or if the dismantling can be done by a layman or if expertise is needed (specialist contractors).
9. Prefabricated: The façade panels arrive preassembled on site. This pre-grouping of components allows accelerated assembly and disassembly. Mounting building components prior to assembly has in general also advantages when it comes to quality control, uniformity of building components, reduced waste generation and cost reduction in the building process. However, higher prefabrication rates could have been acquired in this project.
11. Demountable: Any maintenance and modification work should be possible at any point throughout the building’s lifespan. In this project, the designers distinguished between integrated building elements, such as the indoor walls, the façade panels, and the structure. However, it is not clear if, for example, a façade panel can be refurbished without dismantling the roof. It is also unknown how the techniques are installed according to the different building layers.
Building - Composition
14. Versatile: The design of the building allows multiple functions. It is equipped for future functional changes. The designers used an open-plan design for the large central hall and use movable fixtures, such as inflatable and/or lightweight furniture.
Tools used
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Not mentioned
