Exchanges between people, their flows, generate powerful images, which, in architecture, can be incorporated into the quest to avoid heaviness. A metaphorical evocation of archived, dematerialized data, i.e. “cloud computing,” is the final stage, through the A11 building’s skin, which erases its limits.

Based on a quest for a powerful identity and an effort to weave important links with the city, this new development stage of the Zac Paris Rive Gauche is designed to complete an urban repurposing initiated almost 20 years ago. Building next to an urban void always poses exceptional challenges. The lot on the city block A11, free of adjacent buildings, faces urban arteries which also structure it, while also offering views of the railyard landscape, a river of rails and catenaries bestowing an obvious urban poetry upon the site, in which different strata of the city intermingle. Thus, city block A11 has no front or back façade but forms an entity offering passersby and passengers on trains a series of continuously changing points of view.

The building has two main levels aligned with the Avenue de France, which house two commercial spaces, and a setback main section and finally an attic section placed above and slightly overhanging main section. In the upper floors, the plates are organized according to a framework of 1.35 m, making it possible to create either partitioned or open plan offices. The slight overhang of the attic section is achieved by the rotation and folding of the various volumes facing the Avenue de France. However, the seeming complexity of the building’s geometry takes advantage of its situation which in fact has great structural simplicity and without having to cut away sections of the floors.

And yet, the building’s cladding is both absent and present, like an evanescent edifice, whose profile constantly changes according to the light and the weather. Thus the building is covered with white enameled aluminum tubes which highlight the curves and the arabesques of the assembled modules. The building’s envelop is a surface of exchanges designed to protect the body. In the present case, The treatment of the skin can be compared to the work of a couturier or a tailor who chooses the most appropriate costume for the customer. This choice is based on the context, the period and the season.

A system of window bands on each level of the building make it possible to optimize access to natural light, regardless of the exposure. This principle offers the great advantage of autonomy in terms of daylight and thereby makes it possible to guarantee lower energy consumption. All the meatal window frames of the façade open during the day, ensuring natural ventilation of the offices. In addition, all the façades exposed to sunlight will be equipped with retractable metal blinds, linked to the building’s central computer

The figurehead of the new office complex in the Paris Rive Gauche development area in the district of Austerlitz, the Be Open building stands out thanks to its highly contemporary aesthetics including walls that glisten due to the undulating form of its sun-shading structures. On the exterior there is a constant interplay of forms that evolve throughout the day in response to the sun; on the interior, priority is given to transparency and natural light... control of visual and thermal comfort has also been fundamental for this building that houses the main offices of the Métropole du Grand Paris.The technical demands and the requirement for perfect integration with the facades could only be met by the Satiné 5500 fabric from Mermet, the market leader in the design of solar protection fabrics.

Shared light

Interchanging between a matt, satin, sparkling and evanescent effect, this building with 8,700m2 of offices and 600m2 of shops on the ground floor benefits from a letterbox window system which alternates breast walls with rectangular windows on each of its 7 floors, optimising access to natural light and enabling all the offices to benefit from direct light.This principle offers a major advantage in terms of independent access to daylight and thereby guarantees low energy consumption. All the facade frames open during the day, naturally ventilating the offices. All facades exposed to sunlight are also fitted with exterior roller blinds, connected to the building's GTB heat management system.

"The mantle of white enamelled aluminium tubes, which plays a supplementary role in terms of solar protection, generates a virtual volume that ripples like a metallic wave, creating a depth and drop shadow effect. The end result: a moiré effect with Gaussian blurof changing perception as you walk by. In order to retain all the power of this engaging facade, we do not wish to add any further graphical elements: perfect integration of the blinds has been an essential requirement...We initially considered a range of shades but ultimately selected the colour grey(reference 0101) for its discretion and neutrality."Jean-Pierre Lévêque –Managing Partner of Brenac-Gonzalez

866 Solozip® vertical roller blinds from Griesser (1.80m x 1.35m), with excellent wind resistance, were installed on the 4 facades. By preventing the heat from penetrating the building in the summer, the Satiné 5500 fabric protects the work areas and offers optimum solar protection.

Satiné 5500, the Mermet range for all architectural forms

Fully meeting the demands of thermal and visual comfort, the Satiné 5500 fabric was selected for its:

- Excellent protection against heat: up to 96% of the solar energy is reflected back in exterior applications (gtot of 0.04 with standard glazing g = 0.32 and U = 1.1);-Excellent glare control thanks to its diagonal satiné weave while optimising the intake of natural light: up to 96% of light rays are filtered out (VT: 4%);

-High quality transparency, maintaining perfect exterior vision;

-Lower costs: 6 widthsizes to optimise the utilisation of the fabric and reduce wastage;

In addition to offering the most extensive range on the market with its 50 colours available in widths of up to 320cm for equipping large bay windows without joins, the multiple properties of the Satiné 5500 fabric made all the difference. It also stands out thanks to its:

-Excellent dimensional stability for vertical blinds of such large dimensions and its total suitability for ZIP applications which deliver an ideal tension to create a perfect finish;

-Remarkable durability under the 10,000 cycle mechanical endurance test(Class 3 NF EN 13561) and good mechanical resistance when placed under tension;

-M1 fire protection classification to meet the requirements of public buildings.

Following the principles of energy excellence and environmental performance, the Be Open building is the perfect partner for solar protection of the highest quality.The Satiné 5500 fabric by Mermet provides the answers, and this French company has once again demonstrated its effectiveness and expertise