JARDIN D'UNION DUE IN AUTUMN

163 new homes will be finished here by autumn, complete with street-level shops and offices, a day-care centre, and communal amenities. Facade details are now apparent  and notably white metal work contrasting with grey brick, while interior finishes progress. The busy boulevard relates with the sloped gardens behind via two generous double-height porches strategically positioned to create effective permeability between front and back. These passageways lead to a soon-finished semi-public square of more intimate character over-looking existing terraced homes on the opposite railway bank. Designed for play and informal encounters, the low-lying volumes defining its perimeter and their careful positioning together allow for maximum sunlight here during most of the day. Already partially occupied, the broad panoply of dwelling types and sizes will hopefully push occupant diversity, while division into digestible sub-parts should push appropriation.