At the end of the 1960s, the construction of “large ensembles” was a French solution criticized in many quarters on different scales, from specialized fields to popular culture, particularly in literature, cinema and the media. At the same time, the creation of the “construction plan” in 1971 had the ambition of enabling the renewal of collective housing construction and opening it up to innovation. Based on the circular of 23 June 1972 from the Ministry of Equipment, it defines the new direction given to the model policy in order to encourage innovative construction projects or processes.
The label «remarkable contemporary architecture»
This distinction of the Ministry of Culture aims to highlight the most significant sets of architectural production of the 20th and 21st centuries. Initiated by the law of 7 July 2016 on the freedom of creation, architecture and heritage, it succeeds the label «heritage of the twentieth century», created in 1999 to identify and highlight the buildings and ensembles which, among the architectural achievements, are material witnesses of the technical, economic, social, political and cultural evolution of our society.
The label can be awarded to projects less than 100 years old, not protected under the title of historical monuments, whose design is of sufficient architectural or technical interest.
Housing “innovation models”
A study conducted by the LACTH-Ensap laboratory in Lille on «innovation models» in the Hauts-de-France region enabled the labelling of 20 dwellings. The inventory identified 85 operations resulting from “innovation models” in Hauts-de-France. This figure attests to the preponderance of these models in the region, and particularly in the departments of Nord and Pas-de-Calais.
This study is part of a multi-year research program carried out between 2016 and 2020 by the Ministry of Culture (in partnership with the Ministries of Ecological and Solidarity Transition, Territorial Cohesion and Relations with Local and Regional Authorities), entitled «20th century architecture, project material for the sustainable city of the 21st century».
Please find the list of laureates attached to the press release.
Labellisations «Remarkable contemporary architecture» in Hauts-de-France by decision of 30 June 2022
Aisne Department
- Innovation model “Village de l’Ouest” located rue des Violettes, rue Jules Romains, rue des Jonquilles, rue des Lilas, rue du Muguet, rue des Roses, rue des Jacinthes, rue de Bousson, rue des Jardiniers, rue des Fauvettes, rue des Mouettes and rue des Colombes in Laon (Aisne).
Northern Department
- “Composec” Innovation Model located in Allée de la Frange in Villeneuve D’Ascq (North);
- Maillard-SAE Innovation Model located at 53-65-67-71 Avenue de la Libération and 85-91-97-101-105-111-117 Avenue des Bains in Dunkerque, North;
- Innovation Model “Maisons Gradins Jardins” located on avenue Champollion, 1 allée Chanteclerc and 267-269 allée Chardin in Villeneuve-d’Ascq (North);
- Salamander Innovation Model located at 2-4-14-16 rue Léon Gambetta in Haubourdin (North);
- Salamander Innovation Model located at 4-5-6-7 chemin des Vieux Arbres in Villeneuve d’Ascq (North);
- Innovation Model “Village de l’Ouest” located rue des Comices, allée de la Centième Maison, rue de la Convention, rue de la Coutume, allée de la Cueillette, allée Carco, rue de la Clé, rue de la Constituante, allée de la Coquille and allée de la Corolle in Villeneuve-d’Ascq (North).
Département de l'Oise
- Innovation Model “Maisons et Jardins” located on rue Jacques Monod in Liancourt, Oise;
- Innovation model «Maisons Gradins Jardins» located on rue Jean Sébastien Bach and Allée Mozart in Beauvais (Oise);
- Innovation model «Maisons Gradins Jardins» located 3 rue André Ampère and allée Pierre Coquerel in Compiègne (Oise).
Department of Pas-de-Calais
- Innovation model “Maille” located on avenue Léon Blum, rue Albert Camus and avenue Georges Buffon in Arques (Pas-de-Calais);
- Innovation Model “Maisons Gradins Jardins” located avenue de la Résistance in Liévin (Pas-de-Calais);
- Innovation Model “Maisons Gradins Jardins” located 139 rue Arthur Lamendin in Vermelles, Pas-de-Calais;
- Innovation “Versatility” model located on rue du Ballon and 43 route nationale in Beuvry (Pas-de-Calais);
- Sicca Sigma Innovation Model located on rue de Valhuon, rue Augustin Caron and rue Diéval in Bruay-La-Buissière (Pas-de-Calais)
- Sicca Sigma Innovation Model located at Place des Oiseaux and Boulevard de la Fossé 10 in Hersin-Coupigny (Pas-de-Calais);
- Sicca Sigma Innovation Model located on rue des Fontinettes in Méricourt (Pas-de-Calais);
- Innovation model “Trirème” located on Route de Blandecques, rue Gabrielle Colette, allée Emile Verhaeren, rue Guillaume Apollinaire, allée Albert Samain, rue Jules Laforgue, rue Stéphane Mallarmé, rue Gérard de Nerval, avenue Charles Baudelaire, avenue Paul Verlaine and rue François-René de Châteaubriand, at Longuenesse (Pas-de-Calais).
Department of the Somme
- Innovation Model “G2” located 2-8 Pierre Rollin aisle and Beaulieu aisle in Amiens (Somme);
- Innovation model «Maisons Gradins Jardins» located on rue Le Corbusier and rue Tourmaniantz in Amiens (Somme).
For more information:
Link to the label page «architecture contemporaine remarquable» of the Ministry of Culture https://www.culture.gouv.fr/Aides-demarches/Protections-labels-et-appellations/Label-Architecture-contemporaine-remarquable