A Bioclimatic Flagship Building, Embodying the Values of Sustainable Eating
In Avignon, the new headquarters of the Food’in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur network unfolds as a true flagship site dedicated to innovation and training in the agri-food sector.
The building combines environmental excellence with intelligent design, expressed through a frugal yet bold architectural language that highlights natural and local resources. Exposed timber blends with low-carbon concrete to gently shape the volumes, while rammed earth moderates the indoor climate.
Certified “Bâtiment Durable Méditerranéen” (Mediterranean Sustainable Building) at Gold level, the project integrates geothermal energy, natural ventilation, and bio-based materials as part of an innovative bioclimatic approach. This committed vision reflects the values of sustainable eating and sensible construction in an age of resource-conscious design — all at a cost of under €2,000 per square meter.
The Architectural Project
The project stands out for its compactness, which enhances clarity and legibility. A streamlined design highlights a remarkable initiative: the establishment of a hands-on school and a collaborative workplace for professionals committed to sustainable food practices.
Certified “Bâtiment Durable Méditerranéen” at Gold level, the building embodies a strong low-carbon ambition. Its bioclimatic design is reflected in the use of bio-based materials such as wood — used in facades, insulation, structural framework, and interior finishes — and rammed earth, which shapes the 12-meter-high central atrium. These materials contribute to thermal regulation while asserting a “raw and honest” interior identity.
Here, nothing is concealed: structural elements and exposed mechanical systems are deliberately revealed in their material truth. Far from being hidden, the technical components are made visible, embraced, and contribute to the overall aesthetic. This intentional sobriety gives the building a presence free of artifice, in harmony with the values it embodies: transparency, frugality, and commitment.
This natural materiality continues on the facades, designed with the same bioclimatic logic. Oriented east/west to maximize passive solar gains and optimize natural ventilation, the facades are topped with photovoltaic panels.
At the heart of the building, an atrium open across all three levels and bathed in natural light plays a key role: it organizes internal circulation, creates meeting points among users, and contributes to the thermal inertia of the space. This open and vibrant design reflects a desire to encourage interaction and the exchange of ideas within the network.
Outside, the building is rooted in its environment through an arboretum, conceived as a planted orchard in reference to Avignon’s market gardening heritage. On the parking side, a pergola made of recycled raw steel provides shade and lightness, while a windbreak hedge, both designed with summer comfort in mind, are part of the same sustainable approach.
This is a building that stands out — and deliberately so — through its bold, contemporary image. A building that is “bare and daring,” reconciling use, comfort, and budget through a necessary form of architectural frugality.
Technical Specifications Sheet
Project: Construction of a tertiary building (G+2) housing three main hubs: a Training Hub comprising the Cook’Lab (experimental kitchen), Fab’Lab (process area), Logistic’Lab (supply chain zone), Store’Lab (merchandising area), Open’Lab (open innovation zone), and Virtual’Lab (virtual reality zone). A Founding Partners Hub and an Ecosystem Partners Hub, including offices, meeting rooms, shared social spaces, an outdoor relaxation area, and parking.
+ Bâtiment Durable Méditerranéen (Mediterranean Sustainable Building) – Gold Level
+ E4C2 energy and carbon performance level
+ A holistic environmental strategy integrating bio-based and recycled materials (rammed earth, wood, recycled steel), natural ventilation via an internal patio, solar shading devices, and photovoltaic panels.
Location: Avignon (France)
Surface area: 1.092 m² floor surface area
Construction cost (including site development works): €2,368,594 excl. VAT
Delivery: February 2025
Project owner: Food’in Provence (ACI Immobilière)
Project Management Assistance: Citadis / Environment: Fynergie
Project management team
Architecture, Environment, Management, Economy, Engineering: Ateliers A+
Structure technical design office: Calder Ingénierie
Acoustics consulting engineers: Acoustic Technologies Midi
Roads and external works consulting engineers: Epsilon GE
Interior architecture: Studio Loco
Rammed earth construction
Supply and installation of the triple-height concrete partition wall, built as part of a social integration project: Le Village de Cavaillon Association.
