Tours Aillaud, Social housing complex in Nanterre, France
Tours Aillaud is a housing complex in the western suburbs of Paris made up of round towers with facades decorated in colorful mosaics. The buildings are arranged in a curving line and surrounded by tree-filled open spaces.
The towers were built in the 1970s as a response to the housing shortage in the Paris region at that time. Construction lasted seven years and included collaboration with artists for the colorful facades.
The name refers to architect Émile Aillaud, who was known for his rejection of geometric rigidity. Families from different backgrounds live in the apartments today, creating a lively neighborhood.
The complex is located in Nanterre west of La Défense and can be reached by public transport. The outdoor areas can be viewed at any time, but the residential areas themselves remain closed to visitors.
Each tower carries a different name after constellations or planets such as Damiers, Alizés and Nuages. The windows follow no fixed grid and are distributed across the facades as if placed randomly.
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