Jardins de la Gradelle Apartments , The project proposes a contemporary interpretation of the garden city, combining a human, landscape-oriented scale with the notion of density and rationality. Three structured towers of varying heights are set in the center of a large garden. Through this strategy, the project presents an organic volumetric response to the park.
© LRS architectes
It incorporates it into a heterogeneous existing architectural context consisting of ten-story housing developments to the southeast and semi-detached homes to the west. As the plan’s centerpiece, the park project is the result of a competition won by the firm Vulcan, which proposed maximal use of the plot through a peripheral loop promenade for its residents.
© LRS architectes
By analogy, each apartment is designed as an interior landscape, with living areas spaciously structured around a loggia set at the corners of the plan. Particular attention is paid to exterior extensions in the form of walkway balconies, allowing residents to circulate and occupy the outside space. At corners, a fold in the balcony that alternates from one floor to the next substantially enhances the balconies’ use value and rate of sunshine, helping create an organic, playful perception of the ensemble.
© LRS architectes
Seeking a residential style, the façades use a contrasting language of expressive slabs of whitewashed prefabricated concrete, combined with a darker anodized aluminum façade set further back. The crossed balustrade rails create a play on light that changes according to the interior and exterior perspectives, highlighting the folded geometry of the three towers.
Project Info
Architects: LRS Architectes
Country: Switzerland, Cologny
Area: 17000 m²
Year: 2020
Photographs: LRS architectes
Civil Engineers: Moser Ingénierie SA
Landscape Architects: Studio Vulkan Landschaftsarchitektur
Responsible Partner: Rolf Seiler, Laurent Lin
Project Manager: Boris Pflugfelder
Architects: Guillaume Boussemart, Wesley Murith, Amaëlle Vuagniaux, Yafiza Zorro, Alexandre Berset, Yony Santos, Xavier Perrinjaquet, Ana Isabel Pinheiro, Boris Pflugfelder, Alexandre Lobo
Sophie Tremblay is a Montreal-based architectural editor and designer with a focus on sustainable urban development. A McGill University architecture graduate, she began her career in adaptive reuse, blending modern design with historical structures. As a Project Editor at Arch2O, she curates stories that connect traditional practice with forward-thinking design. Her writing highlights architecture's role in community engagement and social impact. Sophie has contributed to Canadian Architect and continues to collaborate with local studios on community-driven projects throughout Quebec, maintaining a hands-on approach that informs both her design sensibility and editorial perspective.