Residents of l'Unité d'Habitation, a social housing block in Firminy, south-east France, are enduring extreme indoor temperatures, with some flats reaching 35C to 40C during heatwaves. The concrete tower, designed by Le Corbusier, has its facade and roof listed as historic monuments since 1993, which complicates efforts to adapt it to modern climate conditions.
The building, where two-thirds of apartments are social housing (HLM), lacks shutters. Any changes to the facade require authorisation from the architectes des bâtiments de France (ABF), making it difficult for residents to install cooling solutions. Some residents resort to hanging blankets or tinfoil panels over windows.
A new proposal from the French government, introduced on July 7, aims to address this issue by potentially giving local councils greater power to modify historic buildings. Under this proposal, the ABF's opinion on modifications would become advisory rather than definitive.
The Fondation Le Corbusier is reportedly examining old architectural plans to see if shutters could be installed in a way that aligns with the listed facade. Residents have been raising these concerns for years, but the foundation only began discussing the impact of heatwaves on its sites this year.