NAME
Project title:Start-Ivry (Tower 4)
Recommending party
The project has been submitted by:
Groupe Valophis
20_Start-Ivry (Tower 4) | Star strategies+architecture
COMMUNAL / TYPOLOGICAL APPROACH
D – DETAILS – DATI
Plot area – Superficie lotto: mq 5619
Gross Area – Superficie lorda totale: mq 4500
Of which
residential – Di cui Residenziale: % 75.60
Public/communal areas – Spazi collettivi/comuni: % 20.70
Facilities for the public – Attrezzature pubbliche: public square = 2600m² (not calculated in GFA)
Business/trade – Commerciale: % 3.70
Offices – Uffici: % 0
Number of residential units – Numero di alloggi: 50
Typology of users – Tipologia di utenti: Families, Old-aged people, Students, Foreigners, Temporary residents, Other
Total building costs Euros – Costo di costruzione totale in Euro: 5.971.500€ excl. VAT
Building Cost = Total Bulding Cost / Gross Area – Costo di costruzione = Costo di costruzione totale /Superficie lorda totale: 1327 €
Floor area ratio = Gross Area / Plot Area – Densità = Superficie lorda totale /Superficie lotto: 0.64
Work started on date – Data inizio lavori: 01/03/2015
Work completion date – Data ultimazione lavori: 27/09/2024
E – OWNERSHIP – PROPRIETA’
Promoter – Promotore
Valophis (VEFA* through SOGEPROM Réalisations). *VEFA=Vente en l’État Futur d’Achèvement / off-plan sale.
Allotment rule – Regola di assegnazione:
Housing allocation follows municipal regulations, prioritising Ivry residents and workers within defined income ceilings (PLAI/PLUS). A quota is reserved for DALO households and other urgent cases. Accessible units are dedicated to households with reduced mobility, and allocations safeguard social diversity.
Reduction cost percentege compared to the market value – Percentuale di riduzione di costo rispetto al valore di mercato:
assignement %: 0
rent %: 30-50%
GENERAL PLANS – PLANS
G – CANDIDATURE REPORT – RELAZIONE DI CANDIDATURA
ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY | SOSTENIBILITÀ ECONOMICA
For this comparison, we use GFA costs (€/m²) for housing buildings of similar height, including parking and excl.VAT, for Paris+Petite Couronne: -Paris (≈€1,943/m²): –25.6% (about –€497/m²) -Petite Couronne (≈€1,807/m²): –20.0% (about –€361/m²)
Rental/sale cost compared to market price
Costo di affitto/ vendita rispetto al mercato
-Sale vs. START 3 sale prices: Ivry : -17.4%, -9.7%, 0.0%, Petite Couronne: –31%, –25%, –9%, Paris: –69%, –66%, –59%. -Rental private: Ivry (17 €/m²): PLAI –61.9%, PLUS –57.2%, Paris (25.7 €/m²): PLAI –74.8%, PLUS –71.7%, Petite Couronne (19.6 €/m²):
TYPOLOGIES
SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY – SOSTENIBILITÀ SOCIALE
Rules of allocation – Regole di assegnazione
Allocation is based on income and need, with shares for lowest-income (25%) and households with a legal right to housing (DALO cases-25%). A municipal points system ranks applicants, while accessible units prioritise households with reduced mobility.
Protection of fragile categories
Tutela categorie fragili
START supports diverse households—single parents, blended families, elderly, etc—offering tailored housing solutions for all, with features especially suited to the most vulnerable, such as 1-bedroom ‘plus’ for single-parents (≈40% below poverty).
Involvement of inhabitants in the building process – Coinvolgimento degli abitanti nel processo
Ivry residents and local community took part in public reviews and thematic workshops (housing typologies, façades, public spaces), influencing the project from the earliest design stages. Some of these participants later became residents of START.
Community accompaniment in the life of the building – Accompagnamento della comunità nella vita dell’edificio
We organised an information session after move-in and have remained available for questions since. Residents received a ‘manual’ showing how their apartment can adapt over time—for example, for growing or shrinking families and cohabitation.
SIGNIFICANT SECTIONS
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
SOSTENIBILITÀ AMBIENTALE:
Functional mixitè – Mix funzionale
Tower 4 at START includes a ground-floor retail unit. An after-school care facility may move in. Bicycle and stroller storage areas are also located on the ground floor. START creates a new square and 2 pedestrian alleys (600m² of public space)
Common spaces and shared living – Spazi comuni e abitare condiviso
All the apartments share the multipurpose room (~45m²) on the 8th floor, as well as 210m² of shared terraces distributed at different heights, promoting social interaction and community building among residents.
Techniques and strategies for environmental saving:
START reduces energy consumption by 20%, uses 20% low-carbon concrete, and incorporates geothermal heating. Beyond technical performance, it adapts to residents’ evolving needs, supporting resilience and long-term sustainability.
START-Ivry: Form follows life
START-Ivry is a new generation of housing in which the dwelling adapts to its inhabitants, and not the other way round. At the confluence of the Seine and Marne in Ivry-sur-Seine, the project comprises 23,000 m² of net floor area, distributed across five towers, 288 dwellings (social and intermediate rental and price-controlled sale), 14 retail units and 2,600 m² of public space.
START-Ivry redefines housing culture by rejecting standardisation. It rethinks housing from the inside—starting from the resident—restoring the central role of the floor plan, and boldly reversing the conventional process by starting with architecture: the architect is selected first, and developers are then invited to compete.
Households are diverse—single parents, blended families, older people needing assistance, remote workers, ‘boomerang’ children—yet housing remains standardised. START bridges this mismatch: apartments tailored to contemporary life adapt over time—enlarging for a child, relocating kitchens, subdividing, or merging neighbouring flats. The project is structured around 10 Adaptability Principles, 8 Quality Principles and 10 Principles for a Good Tower.
START-Ivry is a new generation of housing in which the dwelling adapts to its inhabitants, and not the other way round. At the confluence of the Seine and Marne in Ivry, the project spans five towers (288 dwellings, 14 retail units) and 2,600 m² of public space. Tower 4 is the tallest and slimmest of the 5 buildings with 50 social rental apartments (from studios to 5-bedroom) and one retail unit.
The project redefines housing culture by rejecting standardisation. It rethinks housing from the inside—starting from the resident—restoring the central role of the floorplan, and boldly reversing the conventional process by starting with architecture: the architect is selected first; developers are then invited to compete.
Households are diverse—single parents, blended families, older people needing assistance, remote workers, ‘boomerang’ children—yet housing remains standardised. START bridges this mismatch: apartments tailored to contemporary life adapt over time—enlarging for a child, relocating kitchens, subdividing, or merging neighbouring flats. The project is structured around 3 sets of principles: 10 for Adaptability, 8 for Quality and 10 for a Good Tower.
Its narrative architecture is born from the interior: façades, window rhythms and colour accents respond to domestic use. The slenderness of the building (13.5×16.6 m) maximises typological variety, orientation, light and views over the rivers. A communal space on the 8th floor and shared terraces connect residents.
START supports diverse households, tailoring solutions while prioritising the most vulnerable, including single-parent and older residents. Among its different typologies, the largest is designed as a co-residence to be shared by six households.
Sustainability is addressed holistically, with a focus on apartment resilience and long-term adaptability.
– Environmental: 20% energy reduction, 20% low-carbon concrete, and geothermal heating.
– Economic: Divisible, adaptable units allow expansion or the creation of new dwellings without extra land and with limited additional cost, generating rental potential and helping maintain affordability within constrained budgets.
– Social: Homes adjust in area and layout to changing household needs, accommodating a wide diversity of households and cohabitation arrangements.
START-Ivry is both a manifesto and a pilot: resilient housing where form follows Life.
GALLERY
