Metal-Screened Housing And Offices Lead The Way For Sustainable Development in Sète, Southern France

Inhabitat.com ^ | June 21, 2012 | Bridgette Meinhold

[Twotone]

As part of a redevelopment of the port in Sète, Southern France, a new housing and office project by Colboc Franzen & Associates has become the cornerstone and model for sustainability in future construction. A group of metal-screened residential and commercial towers has all the right moves when it comes to energy efficiency and appropriate architecture for the region. The apartments enjoy views, natural ventilation, private screen patios along with a close connection to its surrounding neighborhoods. Completed in 2011, the project has been certified as a Habitat et Environnement.

[Twotone]

Looks like it will be easier to lock the cage when their plans 'change', too...

[cripplecreek]

[rarestia]

Frighteningly post-apocalyptic.

I’ve played video games with building that looked like this.

Thinking Half Life.

[CivilWarguy]

I read the ad/article and at first thought it was a joke.
Basically, it appears they attach powered metal screens outside the windows of the place, which open and close to screen out or let in sunlight. Metal? As if bauxite ore just jumps out of the ground and refines itself into aluminum, without any energy expended! And there already exists a better screen technology. Haven’t they ever heard of curtains? Blinds?
People who purchase these untis are so dumb they deserve to be scammed.

[Gaffer]

Energy conservation in this case is just a ruse. This is nothing but outright futile attempts to protect themselve from rioting MUSLIMS.

[discostu]

It’s kind of ugly, but living in the desert I see the utility of the “shell of shade”. The number one thing you want in a home in Tucson is for your neighbor to the south to have large trees that shade your house in midday, #2 your neighbor to the west to have large trees that shade your house in the afternoon. That’s basically what this accomplishes, it just isn’t as pretty as large trees. Also probably not as prone to being broken in storms and landing on your car.

[cripplecreek]

[Ezekiel]

Colboc Franzen & Associates designed the three building development to fit in with its existing neighbors and provide a good starting point for the rest of the projects to come.

[Mister Da]

Slat Armor?

Butt ugly, IMO.

[11Bush]

Thumbs up on the zombie proofing.

Thumbs down on the ascetics.

[cripplecreek]

Note the central core with an entry/exit choke point. If you ever needed to fumigate for “pests” its ideal for wrapping and fumigating the whole building

[Gaffer]

The pictures show nothing more than a perhaps more modern looking prison. Only the prison part is meant to keep rioting MUSLIMs out. This is France, where the MUSLIMs riot with impugnity.

[youngidiot]

Ugly as hell = immoral.

[rarestia]

It’s creepy. Just creepy.

[Little Ray]

Wow, that’s ugly.

[Noumenon]

One of the many objectives of Agenda 21.

[Little Ray]

Do you think the bars add to the structural integrity of the building? Or are just (un)aesthetic?

[katana]

Who would have guessed that giant bug zappers could be so Fugly?

[NativeSon]

I think they keep people out and keep people in. I can see a scene out of the Fifth Element, "the is a police lockdown" - controlled entry/exit, easy to do.

but I wonder what would happen in a fire? I'd feel trapped

[Ezekiel]

It looks like it’s just waiting for the coat of plaster.

All sealed all up, snug as a bug in a rug.

“Retirement” communities.