In Grenoble, Baumschlager Eberle Architekten has completed Presqu’île - Spring, an office building constructed not far from the city’s main train station and the Europole business district. Backdropped by the drama of the mountains, this aesthetically distinct curved building was designed with flexible floorplans and passive environmental strategies that helped it achieve a sustainability profile that earned it BREEAM Excellent.
Design and location
The design takes the shape of its plot as inspiration, its facade curves to meet the undulating edge of Rue Félix Esclangon. The tiered design along the streetfront creates setbacks atop each level in which generous terraces have been set. The shifts and curves of the building provide unique perspectives of the neighbouring square and orient the building towards the surrounding landscapes.
Environmental performance
The facade design combines architectural expression with passive solar control. It uses light-coloured concrete that has been cast in place to reduce heat absorption and mitigate urban heat island effects. The facade geometry incorporates projecting concrete elements and overhangs that provide fixed shading, limiting direct solar gain. On sun-exposed elevations, window overhangs and vertical concrete elements further reduce direct sunlight and act as sun-shading devices.
Floorplans and future use
The office block is a concrete column structure with six levels. Each of the levels features an open floorplan that can be designed as the user sees fit. This forward-thinking approach enables the building to adapt to new ways of working and facilitates change in use should the owners decide to operate the building as a space for something other than offices. To help the building integrate with its location, the ground floor is a publicly accessible space that serves as a meeting place for those in the offices from the floors above and their clients. Access to the garden via a passageway through this area invites people to explore the gardens, which include a dining area and spaces for relaxation.
