Architects are known for their discreet designs, with a minimum of wasted resources - both natural and financial. Lacaton even believes that her workshop would not have been able to create its best work if the designers were given a large budget. The latest project, Lacaton & Vassal, was no exception to this rule. The Tour Bois Le Pretre residential building, built in the 1950s, was chosen as the object for the "architectural intervention". In 1990, its facades were renovated, but this was only a temporary measure. Now the appearance of the house must completely change. A steel structure will be erected around it from standard factory-made parts. Thanks to her, the living rooms and bedrooms of all apartments will receive spacious balconies, connected to the rooms by sliding plastic doors. Also, the usual windows in the building will be replaced with panoramic glazing, from floor to ceiling. The special advantage of such a plan will be that residents will be able to stay during the entire period of construction work (which will begin in December 2007) in their apartments.
The cost of such a solution is 50% of the cost of a new building, not to mention the cost of demolishing an old house.
