Community Housing in Villy by Madeleine architectes & Studio Francois Nantermod

At the edge of a quiet roadway in Villy, a modest house—built decades ago by a grandfather—became the catalyst for a new collective housing experiment. Inheriting the property together, three grandchildren dreamed of living on the same land while preserving the emotional significance of the original home. Their shared intention set the foundation for a unique residential project: one defined by participation, cooperation, and intergenerational flexibility, where architecture becomes a tool for living together.

A Participatory Process Shaping a Shared Vision

From the first design meetings, the architects initiated an open dialogue with the three clients, fostering a collaborative process that shaped the project’s identity. Needs, concerns, and aspirations were explored collectively, forming a strong relationship between users and designers. This participatory approach ensured that the architectural proposal responded not to a single lifestyle model, but to three interconnected yet distinct ways of living.

At the symbolic and spatial center stands the existing house, which becomes the project’s gravitational core. Much like a vital organ, it hosts shared technical functions essential for the entire cluster of new homes. Its upper-level void—left open and intentionally undefined—acts as a memory space, a remnant of the past now ready to be reimagined by future generations.

Three New Volumes Rooted in the Terrain

The new construction unfolds around the original house in the form of three mineral entities, each corresponding to one of the grandchildren’s new residences. These volumes reinterpret the relationship to the land through subtle shifts in levels, textures, and orientations. On the ground floor, each unit contains generous living spaces that open onto private terraces, offering autonomy while remaining visually connected to the shared courtyard.

Above, the architecture becomes more fluid. Without rigid boundaries, the upper rooms can be interchanged between units, reflecting the families’ evolving needs—children growing up, changing work rhythms, or shifting household sizes. This flexibility anchors the project in the reality of contemporary domestic life, where permanence is rare and adaptability is essential.

A Structural Belt That Creates Community

Encircling the new dwellings is a continuous BLC structural belt, an expressive architectural gesture that ties the units together. More than a technical frame, it becomes a visible symbol of unity, expressing the span-to-span relationships and the structural forces they generate. This belt underscores the cooperative nature of the project: a cluster of homes connected physically and socially, each benefiting from shared infrastructure yet maintaining individual identity.

The dialogue between old and new is essential. The original home does not simply coexist with the additions—it actively informs them, operating in a mutual relationship reminiscent of a parergon, an architectural concept where the primary and secondary elements define one another. This interplay creates a balanced composition where heritage and contemporary design enrich each other.

Interstices as Spaces for Living Together

Between the private and collective realms lies the project’s most nuanced element: the interstice. These transitional spaces—gateways, steps, walkways, and small landings—mediate encounters and boundaries. They are neither fully public nor entirely private, but instead serve as soft thresholds that facilitate coexistence.

In these subtle in-between spaces, neighbors meet naturally, children move freely between homes, and families share informal moments. The interstice becomes a social instrument, supporting the nuances of community living without imposing rigid rules.

A Contemporary Approach to Cooperative Housing

Community Housing in Villy stands as a compelling example of how small-scale collective living can emerge from familial roots and shared aspirations. Through thoughtful spatial strategies—flexible layouts, interconnected structures, and curated thresholds—the project enables three households to live side by side while preserving autonomy, heritage, and harmony.

By weaving together the memory of a grandfather’s house with the evolving future of three families, the project proposes a sensitive model for sustainable, community-oriented housing—one that is as emotional as it is architectural.

Photography: Séverin Malaud