168 Rue de Crimée. Social housing for artists

The 31-unit social housing project in Rue de Crimée, in Paris’ nineteenth arrondissement was officially opened in December 2017. Designed by Metek it has transformed an old printshop into a building whose new copper and aluminium alloy cladding gives the impression it has been dipped in gold. All the participants in the project have committed themselves to achieving the best results with the lowest budget. The architect, Sarah Bitter, who founded Metek, is particularly satisfied with the theatrical effect obtained by the lighting in the courtyard, an area that has been created from nothing and will be animated by the artists who live here.

The luminaires installed are deliberately minimalistic. Wall-mounted Comfort devices illuminate the courtyard’s pavement with MicroiRoll projectors located above the doors and windows and Underscore light lines placed under the balconies to emphasize their horizontality.

The outdoor connecting stairs are lit by wall-mounted iTeka luminaires. The atmosphere in the courtyard area is defined not only by each individual light point, but also by their reflection in the warm golden colour of the copper and aluminium alloy cladding on the facades. The focus of the architectural design is above all social, as demonstrated by the courtyard that is open to all the inhabitants and acts as both a street and a meeting place. This mood is reinforced by the warm and intimate lighting design. The home interiors also have a minimalist style. They feature a combination of antique wooden beams and contemporary fittings and are predominantly white, so iPro projectors with the same finish have been chosen to light them.