The EPFL Architecture Studio TEXAS project was awarded the Swiss Arc Award 2025 in the Next Generation category.
Congratulations to all the students and the teaching team involved for their outstanding work !
Hétérotopies
Taking as a starting point the concept of heterotopia developed by Michel Foucault, the students envisioned the transformation of a housing block built in 1955 in Sarcelles, on the outskirts of Paris. With a careful and committed approach to preserving this modern heritage, they explored ways to extend the spatial and material qualities of these dwellings.
Each group developed a collective housing project based on the specific uses of a single room – such as a bedroom, kitchen, or living room – thus rethinking the entire building through a unique domestic imaginary. This approach also addresses two contemporary challenges: inventing housing that exceeds existing regulations, and reducing the environmental footprint of construction by reusing significant buildings inherited from the 20th century.
To illustrate this interweaving of utopias to be built, the students designed a representational device composed of images and plans assembled within a deployable grid. This medium allowed them to condense the spatial and temporal dimensions of their projects and to share their many subtleties during the final presentation.
Images
1 Postcard Sarcelles
2, 3 Final reviews at EPFL
4, 5 Youssef Kali, Dylan Schwaiger, Maël Zahaf
6, 7, 8 Stan Caraz, Axel Bouy, Pierre Verhellen,
9 Typical Plan, Cadavre Exquis
Students: Attis Bijleveld, Tom Liechti, Matteo Descouedres, Stan Caraz, Axel Bouy, Pierre Verhellen, Salma Tarbush, Medea Zullino, Thomas Albanesi, Christian Kalmus, César Mouly, Delphine Dam Wan, Joanne Fahrni, Célia Barman, Marta Ruta, Flavio Silvestri, Apolline Viet, Axel Guérin, Youssef Kali, Dylan Schwaiger, Maël Zahaf, Thomas Cany, Ana Preda, Kara Matheu-Cambas, Thomas Morandini, Hugo Moreira Ferreira, Oscar Larfueille, Lucas Pilloud, Emilie De Palézieux Dit Falconnet, Lisa Girard, Sarah Carroz, Nadège Mouine, and Milena Sommer.
Teaching Team: Prof. Eric Lapierre, assistants Thibaut Pierron, Tanguy Auffret-Postel, and Mathilde Thiriot