Based on the building’s position, our proposal set out to make the project a showcase for this new river front district. In order to rise to the environmental challenge at hand, and also to add our influence to the fast-paced changes already being seen in work spaces and their modes of use, we envisioned a building made entirely from wood. With its warm feel and low levels of energy consumption, equipped with all the amenities needed for tertiary use, the building was designed as a space for both living and working.

The wooden portion of the structure was designed like a basket handle, with curved lines enabling us to break from the functional appearance of traditional tertiary buildings. The building’s entrance hall was designed like a hotel lobby, with the layout of the upper floors being adaptable to any type of configuration, from closed offices to shared spaces. At the top, the attic floor encapsulates a new structural vision, somewhere between a loft, artist’s workshop and office space. In addition to its structural role, wood is also present throughout the interior, calling to mind the outer cladding.

The southern facade on the Seine river front, facing Paris, is completely glass-walled. In order to counterbalance the influx of light and natural temperature regulation, we designed this section as a landscape in itself, accessible to the building’s users. The facade is punctuated with planted balconies and brise-soleils, as well as solar panels providing shade for the interior. Finally, the orientation and H-shape of the building help address two of its core aims: optimising access to natural light, and the possibility of renting its space out to several companies working in completely independently from one another.