Valode & Pistre

Tour Saint-Gobain

Tour Saint-Gobain

Valode & Pistre

Tour Saint-Gobain
© Sergio Grazia

ARCHITECTS
Valode & Pistre

CLIENTS
Generali, Saint-gobain

LANDSCAPE
Raphia

ENGINEERING
Egis, Terrell, Artelia, Arcora, Movveo, G-sir, Transsolar, 8’18’’

MANUFACTURERS
Autodesk, Saint-gobain

LEAD ARCHITECTS
Denis Valode – Jean Pistre

CONSULTANTS
Batiss, Lasa, Artelia

BUILDING CONTRACTOR
Vinci

AREA
49000 M²

YEAR
2019

LOCATION
Paris, France

CATEGORY
Office Buildings, Offices Interiors, Sustainability

Tour Saint-Gobain
© Sergio Grazia

Text description provided by architect.

The building of about 49,000 sqm on 44 floors and 165 meters high aims to achieve exemplary environmental quality with a strong emphasis on urban integration, energy performance, and user comfort.

Designing a new tower in La Défense today involves solving several issues from a wide variety of fields:

Tour Saint-Gobain
© Sergio Grazia
Tour Saint-Gobain
© Sergio Grazia

functional issues (creating a flexible place and an efficient building) - technical and constructive issues (a complex site with many constraints) - the quality of living conditions in a high-rise building - urban issues (with the evolution of a business district to a more urban living model) and also symbolic issues (the headquarters of a major French company).

Notwithstanding all these concerns, a tower, more than any other building, is about people and how it affects them. Emotions are expected to be felt at the sight of such a building and the architect should strive to bring about these feelings and this excitement.

The tower’s architecture shows originality and can be compared to a grouping of three crystals capturing and scattering light with a play on reflection and transparency.

Tour Saint-Gobain
© Sergio Grazia
Tour Saint-Gobain
© Sergio Grazia
Tour Saint-Gobain
© Sergio Grazia

The dynamic silhouette of the building, through the assembly of three oblique prisms that, in an anthropomorphic way, resembles a head, a body, and afoot, allows it to interact with the surrounding towers. The tower thus becomes a figure turning its head and slightly stooping as a sign of warm welcome.

Moreover, nature is given the centre stage: large greenhouses contribute to the aura and environmental performance of the building while gardens on all floors can be directly accessed from the office spaces.

Tour Saint-Gobain
© Sergio Grazia
Tour Saint-Gobain
© Sergio Grazia

AN EFFICIENT, FUNCTIONAL, AND FLEXIBLE TOWER

The tower has been designed as a prime resource for the company. Divided into three distinct parts, it includes:

- A main body where all levels are devoted to office space. - A lower part that houses such services as open access areas, including a showroom on the esplanade level.

Tour Saint-Gobain
© Sergio Grazia
Tour Saint-Gobain
© Sergio Grazia

- Highest floors located in the top glazed prism,i.e. the head of the tower, which encompasses reception areas, meeting places, and the “espace plein ciel”, a stupendous gathering area with panoramic views.

AN OUTSTANDING WORKING ENVIRONMENT

The office floors benefit from panoramic views and enjoy strong natural lighting. Gardens can be accessed from the office spaces; although outdoors, these areas are wind-sheltered.

Tour Saint-Gobain
© Sergio Grazia
Tour Saint-Gobain
© Sergio Grazia

AN ENVIRONMENTAL AND ENERGY-EFFICIENT TOWER

The tower's architecture has been designed with environmental concerns in mind. Spatial, architectural, and technical solutions contribute overall to the efficiency of the tower in this regard.

A PROJECT CONVEYING THE QUALITIES OF SAINT-GOBAIN

The Saint-Gobain holding is now a leader in the distribution of construction materials and products.

Tour Saint-Gobain
© Sergio Grazia
Tour Saint-Gobain
© Sergio Grazia

Glass, however, remains an emblem of Saint-Gobain's traditional activity and thanks to its crystalline architecture, the tower emphasizes its aesthetic qualities and its properties of light transmission, thermal insulation, and low emissivity.


Tour Saint-Gobain
© Laurent Kronental
Tour Saint-Gobain
© Sergio Grazia
Tour Saint-Gobain
© Sergio Grazia
Tour Saint-Gobain
© Sergio Grazia


Tour Saint-Gobain
Situation plan
Tour Saint-Gobain
Ground floor plan
Tour Saint-Gobain
27th floor plan
Tour Saint-Gobain
37th floor plan


Tour Saint-Gobain
Section - south
Tour Saint-Gobain
Southeast elevation
Tour Saint-Gobain
Section - Southwest elevation

Valode & Pistre
T + 33 1 53632200 F +33 1 53632209
Valode & Pistre
115 Rue du Bac, 75007 Paris, France