Maison de Rodolphe

Architecturally, the idea behind the construction of the Maison de Rodolphe was to design a building which, while in line with sustainable development, was aesthetically pleasing and could be reproduced in different cities, taking into account the urban and social environment of the area in which it is located.

From a functional point of view, and in order to accommodate a mixed public, it was necessary to design buildings that could be organised in a modular and evolving way for accommodation, reception and support services as well as for living spaces.

The project is therefore composed of four buildings: two buildings for accommodation, a third for community life and a fourth for people accompanied by their dogs.

Wood, the predominant material of the building, was chosen for its warmth. It is complemented by bright colours in the boxes, which bring light and cheerfulness to the different spaces.

The two main buildings, perpendicular to the street, have two floors. Separated by a small square, they are dedicated to accommodation and offices (orientation services, infirmary, counselling area, veterinary dispensary, etc.

The building for people accompanied by their dogs has ten individual rooms of 13 m² each, fully furnished. The building dedicated to families is organised in rooms of two to three people which can communicate with each other, for couples and their children. The sanitary areas are grouped by living units and designed to be used also by families with children of all ages.

A building on the ground floor is to be used for reception and common areas. These convivial but distinct communal areas, depending on the population, were designed to animate and facilitate living conditions in la Maison de Rodolphe. There are separate entrances and reception areas, the kitchen, the dining rooms, the television rooms and the children’s playroom...

The kennel, an important part of la Maison de Rodolphe, is a covered building with ten closed boxes fitted out to receive the dogs in the best conditions. A garden has been laid out, as well as a vegetable garden for the residents.

The project consists of several buildings, each with different functions: accommodation for families, accommodation for people with their dogs, community life and administration.

This structure, like a giant shelving unit, supports the roof and houses all the technical equipment, such as air handling units, heat pumps, and more.

The advantage of this construction method lies in its speed of assembly: while the housing units are being built and equipped in the workshop, the reception structure is prefabricated, and everything is assembled on site. All that remains is to connect the fluid networks that supply the structure.

The second key point is the industrial design process, which is not common in architecture. In this case, we worked closely with companies and manufacturers. This approach requires significant foresight and precision due to the fast-paced assembly. Once orders are placed, changes or revisions become difficult.

In a traditional construction site, trades intervene one after another, and decisions or details are adjusted throughout the process. Here, everything must be assembled in parallel and fit together on site.

The major difference for the client is the need to understand what will be built from the plans, rather than seeing it evolve on site. Once everything arrives, it becomes very difficult to add or modify anything.