Grand ensemble

The Sarcelles grand ensemble, designed by architects Roger Boileau and Jacques Henri-Labourdette, began in 1954 with an initial project of 440 housing units. Due to available land, the Central Real Estate Company of the Deposits and Consignments Fund expanded the project, ultimately constructing 12,368 units by 1976, marking it as the largest housing development in Europe at the time. The master plan features an orthogonal grid, with building blocks ranging from two to five stories alternating with towers of twelve to fifteen stories, all integrated with various green spaces and squares. The buildings are constructed of concrete using industrialized techniques.