Introduced by Owen Hatherley as the solution to London’s housing troubles in his recent talk for Open House 2013, Tour Bois de Prêtre is primarily interesting because of its innovative programme. This 16-storey, 96-apartment housing block in the 17th arrondissement of Paris was originally completed in the 1960s and renovated with coloured panels in the early 1990s, but again 15 years later it was in desperate need of repair and modernisation to meet current standards. Initial ideas proposed complete demolition, however, this would have displaced all of the residents who were social housing tenants. Architects Lacaton & Vassal and Frédéric Druot were tasked instead with its transformation, retaining its floor plates and much of its internal layout. New floors, built as a self-supporting structure, were added onto the periphery of the existing building at every floor to extend the living rooms and create closeable terrasses and balconies. The existing facades with small windows were removed and replaced by large transparent openings so that the inhabitants could profit from the exceptional 360 degree views of Paris.

What is most interesting, however, is that the improvements were constructed from prefabricated elements, which meant that the inhabitants remained in their homes during the construction works. Hatherley’s argument was that Britain should look to Paris’ planning department for its policies in London. He suggested that the demolition of 1960s and 1970s housing estates, like the Heygate Estate, is causing mass disruption to communities and, what’s more, their homes are all too frequently replaced with sub-quality buildings to minimise cost. Hatherley opposes the argument in London is that it is cheaper to demolish than to renovate. Tour Bois le Prêtre proves otherwise: calculations estimated that its renovation was half the cost of its demolition and rebuilding. For the daring of its planners and innovation of its architects to create comfortable homes from disliked old buildings, Tour Bois le Prêtre is our House of the Week. For more information on the architects and to see an enormous collection of interior shots, visit: Lacaton & Vassal