The project site is characterized by the presence of large ancien industrial buildings, terraced houses and small dwellings. In this urban variety, the terracotta, explained in various forms, connects different volumes, programs and epochs. In this context, it seemed indispensable for us to associate a very contemporary brick utilisation to new tertiary buildings, linked with the long constructif tradition of this region at the same time. Since these first reflections, we have imagined a coherent and without-makeup buinding, where the terracotta is utilised for his warm and natural aspect and even for his structural, hygrometric and phonic qualities. We wanted a building that was not a brick covered concrete shell.
We have adopted an industrialised and modular constructif system. This is composed by a foor-tall brick realised by the producer TERREAL. It’s a matter of supporting perforated bricks (Monomur type) characterized by 2.60-2.80 meters height elements. The supporting bricks “geant” scale characterises the façades drawing. Façades are thought like continuous and openwork walls. We don’t find the alternation of full walls and classic windows here, but an uninterrupted sequence of equivalent full and empty. So natural sunlight enters inside the floors through this regular weave in a uniform way and it releases on all the façade letgth. Conviviality and relaxation spaces are nearby terraces and main vertical circulation, and could be brightened up by large glass walls. These rare glass walls to scale of surrounding large industrial buinding represent the only breaks of the façades continuous skin and they are treated like real “events” set-up of the city from the work-space and vice-versa.
Buildings are divisible according to a repetitive weave of 1.35 m, in two directions. The distribution drawing is very rational: from the hall, a system of naturally illuminateed vertical circulation placed in parallel to rue des Saules permits to reach offices floors. On the ground floor, various activities could take place on street and have indipendent entrances and a indipendent office programs operation. This will allow the creation of living places that will be able to enrich public space.
