Team Rhône-Alpes has designed Canopea®; a sustainable solar housing project, competing for the 2012 Solar Decathlon Europe. Canopea® is a group of small buildings, called "Nanotowers", and is located in the Grenoble peninsula. We propose a reasoned form of vertical densification as an remedy to urban sprawl:
> In the Nanotowers, each floor is an apartment with the comfort of a house. Each apartment boasts a 360° view on the surrounding landscape, as well as a number of annexes and private outdoor extensions. In addition, each Nanotower contains pleasant common spaces (ground floor, top floor and circulation). The sharing of certain activities and the mix of uses promote social ties and neighbor’s interaction.
> The Nanotowers are designed to function with their environment as a real urban eco-system. Energy and resources are pooled to optimize their use and respect the environment. As an alternative to the private car and for a better integration into the city, the project also features multimodal transport. Moreover, near the Nanotowers, a vertical farm paves the way for sustainable urban agriculture.