Fives Cail in Lille: 44 homes designed by Matador

In Lille, the redevelopment of the former Fives Cail Babcock factory — a vast 25-hectare industrial site — is entering a new phase. At the heart of this transformation, the Belgian office Atelier d’Architecture Matador, in association with Daum Architectes, is delivering a 44-unit housing project for Lille Métropole Habitat.

The Line: a horizontal building between two gardens

Located on the western edge of the site, the plot occupies a pivotal position between residential fabric and industrial heritage. This dual condition raises questions about urban scale and the symbolic status of the neighbourhood’s entrance.

Rather than adopting a fragmented frontage, Matador opts for a strong horizontal line. This gesture consolidates the geometries at work within the broader redevelopment scheme and establishes a dialogue with two linear gardens: the public park of the urban project and a semi-private garden generated by the building’s very linearity.

The underlying concept is both simple and structuring: allowing each resident to live between two gardens. All apartments benefit from a southern orientation and a direct relationship with the semi-private garden, ensuring daylight, landscape continuity and quality of use.

The Point: a vertical counterpoint

In contrast to the horizontal line, a vertical volume acts as a point — a counterpoint within the composition. This articulation releases a corner space that is returned to the public realm, reinforcing the collective dimension of the project.

Each corner becomes the living space of an apartment, systematically double-oriented. The dwellings gain spatial depth and extended views, while contributing to a clear and structured urban threshold at the entrance of the district.