Bioclimatic shell facades shape the Jardins Secrets housing in France
Located in the Cité Créative of Montpellier, FranceJardins Secrets is a residential development designed by Vincent Callebaut. The project brings together two housing systems, Théia (75 units) and Opale & Sens (38 units), for a total of 113 homes developed according to RE2020 environmental standards. Located on the former site of the Infantry School of Practice, the intervention engages with the site transformation through a combination of historical continuity and contemporary urban strategies.
The architecture is defined by a system of curves, like a shell facades which function as bioclimatic enclosures. These external structures act as exoskeletons, filtering sunlight, facilitating natural ventilation and mitigating wind exposure. Their geometry contributes to thermal regulation by enhancing solar protection and supporting airflow, while establishing a formal language informed by biomimicry and references to earlier Art Nouveau. The buildings are placed within a landscape frame that extends towards Parc Montcalm, forming part of a larger ecological corridor through the city.
all images courtesy of Vincent Callebaut Architectures
a planted courtyard anchors the climate-responsive housing
Environmental strategies are integrated at multiple scales. The project incorporates rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling systems to support irrigation, alongside low-carbon construction methods and high-performance insulation. Dense planting, inspired by Mediterranean ecosystems, contributes to evapotranspiration and the formation of local cooling conditions while supporting biodiversity. The energy supply combines a biomass district heating connection with on-site photovoltaic panels.
The overall urban configuration, developed by Studio Vincent Callebaut Architectures balances density with permeability. The residential units are arranged around a central open courtyard designed to facilitate water infiltration and improve thermal comfort. Walkways, shaded passageways and planted patios connect the development to its surroundings, while raised ground floors provide privacy without disrupting street continuity.
Jardins Secrets is located in the Cité Créative district of Montpellier
loggias, patios and communal terraces organize the apartment buildings
The Théia square is organized in an L-shaped configuration, allowing double-sided and multi-orientation apartments extending from deep loggias and balconies. Rooftop terraces provide communal outdoor spaces, while parking is underground to maintain soil permeability. Opale & Sens adopts a more compact layout, structured around a central atrium that supports ventilation and circulation. The units are oriented around planted loggias with courtyard views and balconies along the street, with ground floor apartments benefiting from elevated private gardens.
Through its spatial, environmental and material strategies, Jardins Secrets positions residential architecture as part of a wider ecological and urban system, where climate response, landscape integration and collective living are addressed in a unified framework.
two housing schemes are combined into a single housing development
