stephane maupin elevates dorm on stilts like a pink flamingo

stéphane maupin elevates dorm on stilts like a pink flamingophoto © guillaume clémentall images courtesy of stéphane maupin

constructed over a railway on the east side of paris, ‘pink flamingo’, a dormitory designed by french architect stéphane maupin, is a foundation-less building supported by 27 piloti connected to a concrete slab by spring boxes that isolate the structure from the vibrations of passing trains. a layered system of public spaces programmatically supports six stories of dwelling units above. at street level there are shops and a lobby to meet residents’ needs. a ramp connects to the first floor for easy bicycle storage, while a cantilevered stair transports students to a meeting space that hangs over an open-air platform for sports activities. on the roof, a garden accommodates a BBQ and communal area, panoramic views of the city. the residence is wrapped in a distinctive color palette. respectful of its main street context, two faces are painted with a neutral finish. however, the windows have yellow accents to reveal the youth of the inhabitants. this brightness is matched in the backyard with a red finish that pays homage to neighboring chinatown with artistic fans, bicycles, and bird cages adorning balcony railings. the irregular pattern of windows and terraces speaks to the variety of five apartment layouts inside the edifice.

conscientious of its context, not all the facades have bright colorsphoto © guillaume clément

student rooms composed of five different layouts sit on top of common recreational and commercial areasphoto © guillaume clément

the bike ramp is legible from the street facade as it wraps up to the first floorphoto © guillaume clément

details such as the fan, bicycle, and bird cage were specifically chosen to adorn the balconies facing china townphoto © guillaume clément

the third floor consists of a floating public roomphoto © guillaume clément

common space and workout areas are connected by an exterior stairphoto © cécile septet

public meeting roomphoto © cécile septet

student dormitory overlooks parisphoto © cécile septet

 street facadephoto © guillaume clément

backyard facade at dusk and the adjacent railway over which ‘pink flamingo’ is constructedphoto © guillaume clément

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project info:

project name : pink flamingo  / chinese box (competition) program: 77 students’ rooms + basket playground + 1 commercial flat client: semapa+rivp / vinci promotion / crous architect: stephane maupinengineer:DVVD (ingenior)completion: november 2012project area: 2400m²cost: 4,300,000 €