VillaRte
Designed for the local headquarters of RTE, the project was developed with the users' comfort in mind. The mass of the building is carved out creating multiple terraces and outdoor spaces. The mass is further fractured into two wings linked by a transparent volume with the main entrance and convivial spaces of interaction between employees of all the departments.
Situated on the western limit of the "ZAC des Girondins", the site was formerly occupied by a massive postal service building. Together with an associated apartment project, the Villarte transformed the site into a vast semi-public common garden.
Architectural intentions
Positioned along the southern and western limits of the block, the massing of the building creates an urban form allowing transparency between public space and the heavily planted courtyard garden. While enjoying a city center location, the building takes advantage of a peaceful and green environment.
Three majors axes were identified during the first exchanges with the client :
- transparency of the company's activities and opening itself toward city,
- provoking exchanges within the company between their different departments and security levels.
Sculpted volumes
The fragmented volume breaks down the mass of the project to a second smaller scale, that of the human scale. The sculpting of the forms allows large amounts of natural light to enter throughout the building whilst offering a variety of terraces and balconies for the comfort of the employees
Facades
The building's two wings articulate around a transparent volume containing the main entrance and spacious elevator landings which offer diverse convivial spaces for employees.
The main facades are composed of grooved terracotta bricks and regularly spaces windows, with their proportions pulling the building towards the sky. These windows stretch out furthter over the upper two floors of facades, accentuating their verticality and creating a crowning effect for the whole building.
A few architectural events enliven this strictly designed grid facade with large protruding curtain walls to highlight special spaces with the building such as their "village square" or the showroom.
Materiality
The number of different materials was voluntarily limited in order to create a calm and restrained architecture. With a white and shiny aspect, the glazed terracotta cladding system lighten the mass of the building.
Each terrace seems to be carved out of a the larger volume. Clad in copper-tinted metallic panels, their facades reference the client’s activity: the transport of electricity.
