Quai de la Graille is a project for an apartment block in the French Alps town of Grenoble. Designed by the local practice of r2k Architects, the simple geometric form of the 10 storey structure is set apart from the neighboring buildings by irregularly spaced balconies, and not just any run-of-the-mill additions but organic shapes which appear to have grown out of the building haphazardly.
Each one of the curved wood and metal pieces have the unusual detail of bulging rounded bases of sustainable wood, a material popular in the eco-friendly designs of the architects, each one individually hand-crafted in sections to resemble a horizontal ‘slice’ of a giant tree.
This element of wood continues on into the interior where it is used on a great number of surfaces, creating a feeling of warmth and comfort in the contemporary spaces. The roof is in the form of a metal grid, inlaid with thermal sensors which moderate the energy needs of this fascinating piece of residential architecture.
