In a landmark achievement for sustainable construction, the town of Gennevilliers is now home to Recygénie, the world's first residential building constructed entirely from recycled concrete. This pioneering project marks a decisive step forward in low-carbon architecture, blending innovation, circular economy principles, and responsible urban development.
© A26 | Seqens
The 76-unit social housing residence was delivered through a unique collaboration between the A26 architectural firm, landlord Seqens, building materials giant Holcim, and construction company Legendre. The structure's components showcase a radical shift in material sourcing: rubble and sand were recovered from buildings previously demolished on-site, clinker was formulated from 11 types of industrial waste, and even the water used in construction came from rainwater and recycled plant-cleaning water.
'We estimate that this initiative will save nearly 3,000 tons of natural resources,' said Elliott Laffitte, president of A26. 'We are very proud to have taken part in this unprecedented project, which demonstrates our ability to reconcile urban development and environmental performance.'
The Recygénie project adheres closely to the French Climate and Resilience Law, reusing already artificial land and replacing ageing infrastructure in line with national goals for land use efficiency. The demolition took place in 2021, with construction commencing in December 2022. Completion is expected by the end of 2024, representing an investment of approximately €9 million.
To ensure compliance with strict building standards, a Technical Experimentation Notice (ATEx) was submitted and approved by the Scientific and Technical Centre for Building (CSTB), confirming the structure's regulatory soundness.
'This unprecedented partnership with Holcim has made it possible to implement a completely innovative recycled concrete technology, perfectly in line with the group's Climate strategy,' said Marion Oechsli, CEO of Seqens. 'It is the result of unprecedented teamwork that is part of our CSR approach and our reuse policy. We can only hope that this operation will encourage other construction players to raise their level of ambition in terms of recycled concrete.'
Founded in 2012, A26 is the seventh largest French architecture firm and ranks among the top 100 globally, with a multidisciplinary approach spanning urban planning to interior design. Seqens, a mission-driven social housing leader in Île-de-France, manages over 106,000 homes across 330 municipalities and focuses on sustainable, inclusive housing innovation.
Recygénie stands not just as a building, but as a blueprint for the cities of tomorrow.
More information:
A26 agency
contac@a26.eu
www.a26.eu
Seqens
www.seqens.fr