Housing in the heights of Neuchâtel

The construction of two residential buildings in the Cadolles Sud district is based on a careful study of the valley’s topography to enable preservation and clarification of the visual outlooks and transitions on site. Set on plinth walls, two volumes complete the former Caractères SA factory buildings which have already been renovated, thus forming an open, coherent, mixed and ecological ensemble. The favourable position allows for the creation of flats with two systematic orientations and strong visual interaction with the surrounding vegetation. Set on pillars, the longitudinal building develops delicately on top of existing bases while the transversal building clarifies transitions to the east of the site. The modularity of the timber construction and the specific configuration of different planes, as well as the establishment of flexible rooms, offer both typological diversity and good functional adaptability.