Saint-Denis's new mayor vows to save iconic social housing complex
The new mayor of Saint-Denis, Bally Bagayoko, is committed to preserving the iconic Îlot 8 housing complex. This complex, designed by architect Renée Gailhoustet, represents a significant vision of urban living and social housing. Residents and urban planners have been engaged in a long struggle to protect this emblematic site from potential threats to its existence.
- ▪Îlot 8 is a unique housing complex located in the historic center of Saint-Denis.
- ▪The complex was completed in 1986 and is known for its innovative architecture.
- ▪Bally Bagayoko, a candidate from the hard-left La France Insoumise party, became mayor in March.
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Îlot 8, in the background, seen from the market hall in Saint-Denis (Seine-Saint-Denis department) in May 2020. OLIVIER BOE Everything seemed peaceful that radiant afternoon at the end of April. In the heart of Saint-Denis's historic center, on the concrete plaza of Îlot 8 housing complex – almost floating above the ground – a young girl skated by, a young man sat in the sun checking his phone, and three Portuguese architecture students looked up at the improbable volumes and terrace-gardens imagined by architect Renée Gailhoustet (1929-2023).
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Le Monde.fr - Actualités et Infos en France et dans le monde.
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