Two objectives are behind the project initiated and implemented by Paris La Défense and the City of Nanterre:

• to diversify the range of home ownership options available
• to involve residents in the design of their housing.

Over the past decade, home ownership projects have become particularly expensive and inaccessible to middle-income households, especially first-time buyers who do not have sufficient savings and would like to become homeowners. The buyers of homes in the cooperative are mainly from the social rental sector and are purchasing a home for the first time.

Paris La Défense has made an effort to reduce the amount of land charges in order to lower the cost price of the planned housing, in particular through a memorandum of understanding with the project owner.

The idea is also to enable first-time buyers to collectively design their homes and common areas and to be involved in the design and construction phases of their building. Its specifications were developed through workshops organized by Paris La Défense and the City of Nanterre and led by a project manager specializing in participatory housing projects (CUADD Conseil). During these workshops, the cooperative's members defined their expectations, which served as the basis for the design and implementation of the project (overall program, financing, choice of project manager).

The architects and families opted for two buildings connected by a footbridge. All of the apartments have an outdoor extension, loggias, or balconies facing south or west. The generous openings allow natural light to flood into all of the rooms in the apartments, contributing to the project's low-energy consumption requirements. The wooden facade of the buildings provides effective insulation. Particular importance was given to the garden, which was designed as a real focal point for the pathways. It is both a passageway (from the apartments to the parking lots) and a place for families to relax, play, and share (shared gardens and vegetable gardens).

Designed by architects Pascal Chombart de Lauwe (Tectône agency) and Fabien Brissaud (Mao agency), the 1,600 m² cooperative comprises 15 three- to five-room apartments.

The first residents moved in at the beginning of 2015.

The building was designed by two former colleagues, Pascal Chombart de Lauwe from the Tectône agency and Fabien Brissaud, a partner in his own agency called Mobile Architectural Office. They have completed numerous projects in France and abroad, including public facilities, office buildings, and collective housing. Their approach is based on sustainable development, with a particular focus on the use of natural materials and energy efficiency. Pascal Chombart de Lauwe and Fabien Brissaud are also involved in research and training projects, notably through their participation in teaching architecture at renowned schools in France.