Address
Paris, Boulogne-Billancourt, F

Client
HEDF / Global
Neuilly-sur-Seine, F

Renault makes way for urban development

The commune of Boulogne-Billancourt bears the stamp of a belief in progress. Once the cradle of car manufacturing on the Seine island of Seguin, it was converted to accommodate business services in the 1990s. This resulted in the demolition of the Renault car plants on the island and along the river bank. In 2009, Baumschlager Eberle won the competition for the development of a site on the Avenue Emile Zola. The novelist’s name reflects the aim: to perpetuate the late 19th century city. A block perimeter development with inner courtyards has been selected to generate a classical urban feel. How have Baumschlager Eberle addressed this familiar motif? The characteristic features of the new development are density and transparency. The site is to be developed along modular lines with a strong impact being achieved by the height of the buildings. Three offices blocks are to be erected here. The slender proportions of the southernmost block at the corner of Rue Marcel Bontemps create the impression of a tower, while the other buildings with their stepped upper levels are a pointer to the depth of the avenue. The buildings are connected by bridges with air space above them, thereby creating incisions in the elevation of the ensemble that underline the sculptural feel of the architecture. This taking-up and leaving-open effect is achieved at the ground floor level in the form of two gateway situations that draw attention to the common inner courtyard. Here the high density along the road pays off for the occupants of the ensemble in that they benefit from the largely uncluttered green area. Talking of benefit, above the imposing entrance areas there are multi-purpose office spaces spanning the facades and the access cores. The working environments here can be developed or adapted to meet the needs of a service economy.

Planning
be St. Gallen
Bernhard Curk Architectes Associes
Paris, F

Project Architect
Tilmann Schäufele

Assistance
Ullrich Grassmann
GuSung Lim

Competition
2009

Placement
1st Price

Site Area
5.410 m²

Area of Building
3.532 m²

Gross Floor Area
35.497 m²

Net Floor Area
19.738 m²

Building Volume
120.222 m³

Commencement Of Planning
2010

Commencement Of Work
2011

Completion
2013