Les Échoppes Bastide Housing: Bordeaux Stone Housing Architecture

Les Échoppes Bastide Housing, designed by eliet&lehmann architectes, represents a modern reinterpretation of traditional Bordeaux townhouses. Located on the right bank of Bordeaux, the project emphasizes Bordeaux stone housing architecture while respecting the historic Bastide neighborhood context.

Site Context

The housing complex is situated north of the Garonne-Eiffel development zone, adjacent to the historic “stone city” of Bastide. The design responds to the urban fabric with a simple layout, offering direct street access while creating private gardens at the rear of each house. The project integrates seamlessly into its surroundings, combining traditional materials with modern construction techniques.

Architectural Design

The development comprises terraced houses and collective apartment buildings. Houses are primarily built with 28 cm thick load-bearing solid stone, stacked according to precise architectural plans. This natural geo-sourced stone requires no firing or mixing, minimizing energy use and emphasizing sustainable construction. Modern lifting equipment allows for handling large blocks, giving this traditional method renewed relevance.

Housing Typologies

The houses are designed for families, with flexible configurations ranging from T4 (84 m²) to T6 (122 m²). Ground floors are slightly elevated, with accessibility from the garden side for people with reduced mobility. Seven compact “affordable” houses, built on 3.6 m frameworks, provide high-quality living at an attractive cost. Collective buildings with T2 apartments complete the development, achieving a higher Floor Area Ratio (FAR) than typical échoppe neighborhoods.

Materiality and Construction

Stone is the defining material, both for facades and fences. Homogeneous yet nuanced, the blocks reveal the gravity-based stacking after assembly, highlighting the architectural quality of the material. The stone construction combines aesthetic value with sustainability, proving that traditional techniques can meet contemporary standards.

Architectural Impact

By combining townhouses and apartment buildings, Les Échoppes Bastide Housing creates a balanced urban density while preserving the heritage of Bordeaux. The project demonstrates how traditional stone construction can be adapted to modern housing needs, emphasizing durability, authenticity, and contextual design.

Les Échoppes Bastide Housing is an exemplary project of Bordeaux stone housing architecture, merging traditional craftsmanship, sustainable materials, and flexible modern living in a historic urban context.

All Photographs are works of Agnès Clotis, eliet & lehmann architectes, Pierre-Yves Brunaud