Increase in building density is one of the key methods of preventing uncontrolled urban sprawl. On the other hand, especially in the case of residential housing, high density entails a number of functional and spatial challenges that the current typologies are not able to fully describe. As a consequence, they transform, mix with each other, and often find new applications, different from their modernist prototypes. Such is the case of applying access decks layouts in contemporary residential buildings in high density downtown areas. This research study, using contemporary French designs as an example, attempts to characterise this type of development against the backdrop of the source modernist typology. The research area encompasses the central districts of Paris due to their extremely high density of development. The analysis of professional literature and available publications was adopted as a research method. In the course of the research, a number of common features in the analysed buildings was noted which may indicate a significant typological distinctiveness. Moreover, it was established that such structures may constitute a valuable supplement to the existing typology of residential buildings, especially if the ground floors feature functions with significant spatial requirements and if plots characterised by unfavourable shape or dimensions are being developed.
