PONG Building / CALQ + Bond Society

Text description provided by the architects. 42, rue Cambronne, in the 15th arrondissement of Paris, the transformation of the building constructed in the early 1970s by architect Marcel Roux to house ADOMA’s head office is complete. Reflecting the architectural practice of the time, the composition is clear and legible: a systematic facade of prefabricated concrete panels covers the different volumes.

The building features three superimposed volumes (a base projecting slightly from the street, a bar, and a tower), separated from each other by hollow-jointed stories (the ground floor and the G+4). Underpinning the new project led by Covéa Immobilier, this architectural composition has been preserved and enhanced, allowing each program to intuitively find its place and benefit from outdoor space.

The horizontal volume houses office space used for coworking, the ground floor is lively and open to the city, while the basements have been transformed to house double-height activities open to the public. These interventions have revitalized the relationship between the building and the city.

To keep pace with changing lifestyles, PONG offers young professionals a range of new and complementary uses, including co-living accommodation and a coworking facility that is technologically adapted to young companies. In addition, the building offers 1,100 sq. m. of activities open to the public (ERP – 3rd category), a café, and a community center.

The co-living flats, developed by the start-up Colonies, are located in the upper part of the building (G+5 to G+13) and have a welcoming rooftop. Thanks to its experience in coliving, the Bond Society agency was able to support the integration of this new use. The general concept developed by the architects is based on different layers of privacy: shared spaces (lobbies, landings, sports hall, laundry, etc.), semi-private spaces (shared living areas), and private spaces (individual housing).

The floor plans evoke the dynamism of the tenants, with the flats revolving around the core while retaining the location of the structural elements. Reinforced floors and acoustic partitions between each bedroom (usually reserved for separating flats) ensure real comfort for residents.

The eight duplex flats have 12 bedrooms, ranging in size from 16 to 32 sq. m., arranged around a living area with a double-height loggia. Each room has its own shower room, and some have a kitchenette, ensuring that residents can live independently. Bond Society designed the custom-made furniture in all the bedrooms and shared areas, to give the homes a distinctive identity and offer customized features (desks, storage units, seating, etc.) Intermediate housing (30%) at attractive rents, also benefiting from a range of services, completes the coliving offer.

Coworking – An incubator for new technologies. Like a forum, PONG is a welcoming, multi-activity place for intergenerational exchange. The first three coworking levels are spaces to be fitted out, delivered open plan, with optimized ceiling heights. The G+4, a hollow joint between volumes, marks the superimposition of the mix and defines the silhouette of PONG. The large bay windows all along the wasp-waisted facade converse with the outside and echo the transparency created on the ground floor.

Generous outdoor spaces. A sloping forecourt crosses the difference in level between the city and the raised ground floor, freeing the building from its prominent base and projecting PONG onto the neighborhood. The opening up of large glazed areas on the ground floor underlines the lightness of the recessed volume, allowing the activity to be seen without disturbing it. In addition to the hall with access to the coliving and coworking areas, the ground floor features a community center and a café open to local residents.

Each of PONG’s developments has its own outdoor space. Designed to vibrate with the rhythm of the life in the building and add value to its use, they are built in such a way as to limit any potential nuisance to local residents. The entire building, which was originally completely mineral, is planted with vegetation (around 2,000 sq. m).

The ground floor is surrounded by green spaces accessible to users. On G+4 the offices have a generous terrace with a variety of seating options for a different way of working. On G+13, the coliving tenants enjoy a roof terrace with a panoramic view over the 15th arrondissement and Paris, while the eight double-height loggias create depth and vertical space for plants to grow. The ‘revolving’ coliving floor plans allow these new outdoor spaces to be distributed around the four corners of the building. The workspaces on this atypical level have a generous terrace.