Urban Picturesque

This urban design project, developed as part of the A3 sector of the large-scale Communaux d’Ambilly plan, explores typo-morphological research through computational parameterization rather than classical compositional tools. In collaboration with the design office Kaisersrot, then based at ETH Zurich, data processing was carried out using a bespoke algorithm incorporating specific parameters. The abandonment of the grid in favor of a more picturesque system reflects the intention not to present the urban structure as an object in itself, but rather as a network of relationships without a single privileged viewpoint.

The differentiated building heights minimize shadow casting between volumes and open spaces. South-facing façades are prioritized to apply the principle of active façades and to optimize natural light in the dwellings. Public spaces — the park, the courtyard, the forest, the edge void — are each conceived as distinct thematic conditions. This strategy resists the temptation of “form for form’s sake.” The final image corresponds to the configuration that maximizes sunlight for each dwelling.