Vivre Ensemble / TAA Toulouse

Architects: TAA Toulouse
Area: 7,880 m²
Year: 2024
Photography: Roland Halbe
Client: Saint-Agne Immobilier
Associated Head of Project: Marinell Van Wyk
Head of Project’s Assistant: Jean-Baptiste Blondel
Head of Construction: Yann Meyzonnat
City: Toulouse
Country: France

Vivre Ensemble senior residence, designed by TAA Toulouse in Toulouse, responds to its hybrid context between built urban fabric and natural surroundings by introducing a layered residential structure composed of 92 senior units, 48 collective housing units, and two commercial spaces, completed in 2024. The project integrates into the Cité Blanche master plan through stepped massing, preserved tree heritage, and active ground-level public interfaces. Organized around a central core with separate access routes for each housing typology, the layout maximizes solar exposure, frames views toward adjacent parks, and mitigates traffic noise through internal buffering and planted loggias. Guardrails with planters allow for gardening and seasonal expression, reinforcing passive cooling and occupant engagement. A restrained material palette of exposed concrete, white plaster, and reflective metal defines the architecture while reinforcing light modulation and continuity between domestic space and landscape.

Vivre Ensemble is part of a broader urban renewal of the 1950s Cité Blanche garden city. We focused on public spaces, creating a linear park and extending 3,000 m² of green space across 45 % of the site. The residential blocks open onto a generous inner garden, preserving an existing tree and connecting visually with neighboring lots to ensure a high-quality living environment.
Interview with Marinell Van Wyk of Taillandier Architectes Associés – TAA

Vivre Ensemble, designed by TAA Toulouse, is a senior residential complex comprising 92 housing units, 48 collective dwellings, and two ground-floor commercial spaces. It is situated on block 6 of the Cité Blanche neighborhood in the city of Toulouse, within the Occitanie region.

The site occupies a transitional edge between urban development and natural open space. This dual condition influenced the project’s orientation toward preserving ecological continuity while integrating a new architectural presence. Mature trees on-site were retained, and new vegetation was added to reinforce biodiversity and natural corridors. The project’s strategy responds to three interlinked goals: urban integration, landscape preservation, and social connectivity.

The urban challenge was addressed through strong connections to a pedestrian and cycling network and proximity to public services. The landscape response maintained existing tree coverage and introduced planted buffers that visually mitigate the buildings’ presence. Socially, the project promotes shared outdoor areas designed for rest, walking, and intergenerational activities.

The development takes advantage of its positioning along Route de Launaguet, which improves visibility and access to the commercial spaces. A public park located at the rear of the block enhances the living quality for both the senior and collective housing units. Urban planning constraints were met by aligning the buildings along the main road and a newly created east-west street. A central void was introduced to link with the neighboring Arsonval block, while the southern facade opens directly to the park. Two mature trees on the site were preserved within the final layout.

The internal configuration of Vivre Ensemble is centered around a main circulation core serving the senior residence. Both senior buildings are accessed through shared outdoor areas. Activity and common spaces are oriented toward the Route de Launaguet to ensure visibility and integration with the street. The collective housing units have a separate entrance on the newly developed east-west road. Parking is fully integrated below the built structures, distributed across one or two underground levels, and divided between the two housing types.

To satisfy lot planning requirements, the design adopts a stepped profile that creates courtyard easements and shared visual corridors. This allows most apartments to benefit from open views and southern, eastern, or western exposure. Less than 5 percent of smaller units face north. This massing strategy also insulates the center of the block from the traffic noise and pollution of the adjacent roadway. Terraces are equipped with planted guardrails that serve both as visual screens and environmental filters.

Architectural elements prioritize exterior connectivity. All facades feature continuous loggias, extending living spaces into the surrounding landscape and offering everyday interaction with planted edges. These loggias function as transitional zones between the residences and the public greenery. In the senior residence, the planter guardrails are designed not only for passive thermal regulation but to support gardening. These spaces encourage residents to cultivate vegetables, herbs, or flowers. As vegetation changes through the seasons, the facades reflect that rhythm, creating a dynamic and resident-driven identity.

Materials were selected for simplicity and durability. Structural concrete is partially left exposed, and white plaster is applied to surfaces as a clean backdrop for the loggias. The senior housing employs powder-coated steel for the planter guardrails, while the collective units feature micro-perforated metal versions. These components capture and reflect natural light, contributing to subtle façade modulation. The white tones and reflective surfaces enhance the presence of greenery, reinforcing the interface between architecture and its landscaped context.

The project embeds itself into the evolving Cité Blanche district by balancing private residential needs with environmental performance and social infrastructure. It aligns with the planning framework while enabling meaningful interaction with nature and fostering a sense of place through clear architectural language.