In the cold autumn, everyone misses the warm days of the past. But in summer, the heat is not always a joy, and finding shelter from the scorching sun is often the main goal, especially when it comes to the south of France. A solution to this problem was presented by the Parisian architect Jean-Paul Viguier. His apartment block, Version Rubis in Montpellier, is designed so that the premises are protected from direct sunlight, but the daylight gets in sufficiently.
The main, northeastern façade, as well as the end ones, was faced by the architect with movable solid and perforated aluminum panels that reflect the sun's rays and maintain a comfortable temperature in loggias and apartments even on the hottest days. Also these panels, varnished in four shades of red, distinguish the house from other buildings in the new urban area of Parc Marianne.
But color is not the only external feature of the Vigier building. Above the garden in the courtyard of the house overhang the far protruding terraces of the rear façade. They are grouped into three projections of three levels each. These terraces are protected from the sun by movable and fixed perforated aluminum panels. On such balconies, according to the architect's plan, on summer evenings residents will be able to communicate even with those neighbors who live across from them.
Unfortunately, the building was not destined to remain a single red block, placed on a neutral ground floor, the concrete surface of which unites the house with neighboring buildings. For purely commercial purposes, an additional white tier was built on top with the most expensive apartments. As if from nowhere, it smears the overall impression of the building, although it is still considered the most prestigious in the Parc Marianne.
