Architectural Cases

This report highlights Paris's involvement in the ReGreeneration project, a Horizon Europe-funded initiative dedicated to urban revitalization. Spanning nine diverse cities, this project serves as a practical testing ground for sustainable urban transformation. Each participating city brings its unique urban challenges and aspirations, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of how nature-based solutions, community engagement, and integrated strategies can foster climate resilience and social fairness.

Paris as a Pioneer in Sustainable Urban Transformation

Paris, historically a city with high density and excellent walkability, supported by an extensive metro system, has paradoxically prioritized private vehicle use for decades. This emphasis has led to persistent air quality issues, a public space that is less welcoming for pedestrians and cyclists, and an urban environment that often sacrifices residents' quality of life for vehicular flow. Despite its rich architectural heritage and iconic public spaces, Paris struggles with insufficient green areas, falling below European benchmarks. The city also experiences a pronounced urban heat island effect during summer months, exacerbated by its dense urban fabric. Furthermore, significant disparities exist between the central arrondissements and the suburban banlieues, highlighting entrenched metropolitan inequalities. The ReGreeneration project aims to mitigate these issues by transforming schools into vital climate and social infrastructures. This approach seeks to enhance urban resilience, promote inclusivity, and integrate nature-based solutions within the urban core, effectively turning the city into a vibrant 'living laboratory' for innovative urban development strategies.

The ReGreeneration project in Paris offers valuable insights into how dense, historic cities can adapt to contemporary environmental and social challenges. By focusing on schools as central nodes for climate and social infrastructure, Paris is demonstrating a holistic approach to urban regeneration. This initiative not only addresses critical environmental concerns like the urban heat island effect and lack of green space but also promotes social inclusion by fostering more equitable and accessible urban environments. The lessons learned from Paris, particularly its commitment to nature-based solutions and participatory governance, provide a compelling model for other global cities grappling with similar issues, emphasizing the importance of integrated strategies in achieving sustainable and livable urban futures.

Future-Proofing Architecture: Crafting Buildings That Endure

The De Keyzer Building: A Testament to Architectural Adaptability

Completed in 2011 in Amsterdam, the De Keyzer building was initially purposed as a healthcare facility, featuring specialized beds for psychogeriatric patients and accessible apartments for elderly care, including provisions for informal caregivers and bedside assistance. However, its trajectory soon diverged from its original intent. Following its sale to an investment firm, the building's apartments were repurposed, attracting young families with children. This unexpected shift, rather than signaling a design miscalculation, underscored the architects' foresight.

Redefining Architectural Success: Beyond Initial Intentions

For the architects behind the De Keyzer project, Tom Frantzen and Karel van Eijken, this programmatic metamorphosis served as a powerful validation of their design philosophy. Frantzen observed that the building's seamless transition between uses vividly demonstrated that structures could readily accommodate functions far removed from their initial specifications. This adaptability was primarily due to the spaciousness of the apartments and a structural design that facilitated a broader range of uses than originally envisioned. Crucially, had the building been rigidly tailored to its first purpose, such a profound change would have necessitated extensive, costly, and potentially destructive renovations, or even outright demolition.