Just a few kilometres away from each other, these two sites are not just geographically close. Both of them represent the will of politicians and of architects to improve the often shocking living...
The Gratte-ciel district resulted from the strong political determination of mayor Lazare Goujon, along the lines of modernist utopia, but also from American dream of architect Morice Leroux.
Planned around social housing, it consists of 1450 accommodation units, public services (Hôtel de Ville, Palais du Travail, community health centre, urban heating system) and shops.
Symbolically, this project began right at the heart of the city, in the France of the mid-World War period, when major house-building programmes still remained the exception rather than the rule.
