Concept
Inspiration was drawn from the idea of the fragmentation of a land mass, such as Pangea (a supercontinent which existed during the late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic eras) into separate continents. Like three volumes carved from a single mass, a tension is created between the mass and the void, and between inside and outside. The three separate volumes are united by a common architectural language, with a folded and faceted outer façade in dark tones and a smooth lighter-toned inner façade that goes beyond the simple expression of a ‘double skin’. The inner façade is an expression of the internal substance of the building swelling to fill the envelope.
Between these volumes, in the interstices formed by the splitting of the mass, a ‘constructed landscape’ of narrow, wooded spaces penetrates to the heart of the site generating a great spatial and visual fluidity. The effect of transparency is reinforced by glazing at ground level.
Whilst respecting the spirit of architectural and urban recommendations offered by the FGP/TER/OGI teams, the Féval «Rock», as it is known, creates a new cohesive dimension of proximity and symbiosis through its three building entities, distinctive yet unified.
Program
The Rennes metropolis is gearing up for a change of scale. With the construction of the future high-speed rail network making the city more accessible, it is rethinking its geographical positioning and its strategic future. Spanning 58 hectares, the new joint development zone Eurorennes is the vehicle and vector of this urban mutation. It participates in the redeployment of the business district towards the south and is an integral part of this dynamic current. The Paul Féval operation, designed by Arte Charpentier, is located at the site’s southern entry at the intersection between the North-South-oriented urban axis and the East-West rail lines; its location within this future strategic sector makes it the city’s most ambitious programme.
Team
Client
– Client organization representative: Eiffage Immobilier Ouest
– Client: Pierre Promotion
Design consultants
– Architect: Arte Charpentier Architects (‘fragment’ E)
– architect partner: Altiplan (‘fragment’ B)
– architect partner: Chouzenoux Architecture (‘fragments’ C&D)
Technical and engineering consultants
– Technical design: Eiffage Construction Île et Vilaine
– Assistant project manager: CAP Terre
– Sustainable development: Eiffage & Eiffage Construction
– Structural engineering: BSO
– Commercialization: BLOT Entreprise
– Building services: BETOM Ingénierie
– Acoustics: Acoustiques Yves Hemot
Operation specifics
– Address: ZAC Rennes, Secteur Féval
– Postal code: 35000
– City: Rennes
– Country: France
– Competition: 2013
– Total surface: 4 832 m² (‘fragment’B) + 4 035 m² (‘fragments’ C&D) + 9 149 m² (‘fragment’ E) gross floor area
