Galilée / Studio Bellecour Architects

Aug 2010

Uploaded by Nico Saieh — Filed under: Office Buildings ,Offices ,Selected , Concrete, France, Studio Bellecour Architects

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Architects: Studio Bellecour Architects
Location: Toulouse, France
Architect in Charge: Wilfrid Bellecour
Project Team: Vincent Ballion, Julien Franco, Brice Kester, Damien Lamy, Sinda Tobni
Client: Altarea COGEDIM
Owner: Crédit Suisse
Project Area: 11,102 sqm
Budget: € 20,000,000
Project Year: 2007-2010
Photographs: Nicolas Borel, Quentin Jeandel, Christophe Picci & Studio Bellecour

Galilée is one of the debut projects realized in the UDZ (Urban Development Zone) Andromède, in Blagnac, near Toulouse in France.

The particular urban details of this UDZ in Blagnac provided a unique climate for the development of a quality architectural project.

The aesthetic of Galilée results from a combination of an interpretation of these urban rules, the immediate aeronautical context, and from the environmental requirements given in the specifications of the UDZ.

The plan is centered on two distinct buildings which are connected by a long white concrete veil. The veil, the primary visual feature of the overall plan, blends vertical and horizontal motions as it slowly curves in a helical movement.

This veil achieves the double feature of insuring the continuity between each building while allowing one to discover the rear landscape in all its depth. Thus this long concrete helix, which recalls the aeronautical context of the site, both protects the building by marking the front of street as well as welcomes us by its inviting view.

plan 01

Two covered buildings wrapped in special insulating material and canopies, modulated according to the illumination, confer on the operation the environmental characteristics HEQ. A unique formal style distinguishes and individualizes these buildings. Nevertheless, the coherence and balance of the whole is maintained by the homogenous treatment of the façades.

The difference of shape and the resemblance of materials make fraternal twins out of these two buildings, which works to maintain options for future users of the space. That is, the distinctions between the buildings would allow multiple tenants to maintain an air of individuality while at the same time the continuous architectural themes provide an appropriate environment for one single occupant.

A central square constitutes the central space, the place of privileged pedestrian access towards both halls. The square is slightly heightened to allow for a level of half-buried parking lots organized around a central garden with natural air circulation. A large white concrete form looking like a shingle offers space for bikes within the landscape.

The sun shade, a major element of the façades’ composition, bring the bright comfort crucial to the offices and open-spaces of the building. For fire access, on the side of the building, the sun shades become delicately blurred on certain windows, allowing openings for the appropriate safety officials.

: © Christophe Picci

: © Christophe Picci

: © Christophe Picci

: © Nicolas Borel

: © Nicolas Borel

: © Nicolas Borel

: © Nicolas Borel

: © Nicolas Borel

: © Nicolas Borel

: © Nicolas Borel

: © Nicolas Borel

: © Nicolas Borel

: © Nicolas Borel

: © Nicolas Borel

: © Quentin Jeandel

: © Quentin Jeandel

: © Quentin Jeandel

: © Quentin Jeandel

: © Quentin Jeandel

: © Quentin Jeandel

: © Quentin Jeandel

: © Quentin Jeandel

: © Studio Bellencour

: © Studio Bellencour

: © Studio Bellencour

: © Studio Bellencour

: front view

: plan 01

: plan 02

: plan 03

* Location to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.

Cite:
Saieh , Nico . "Galilée / Studio Bellecour Architects" 04 Aug 2010. ArchDaily. Accessed 25 May 2012. <http://www.archdaily.com/71453>

Comments (9)
Tweets (16)
Links to this entry (5)

Albert says:

Well speaking of why architecture is dead http://bit.ly/beKJWs
Do you really see a “unique style” here which “individualizes” the buildings?

# August 4, 2010 at 10:31

aardman says:

Who says architecture is dead?? What a ridiculous notion.

# August 4, 2010 at 14:23

niko says:

aardman – I agree with you.

# August 5, 2010 at 03:10

mohamed anes says:

ripple

# August 4, 2010 at 11:01

artur wojak says:

its art on building very radical, if U need a backside wall so make it. but this wall is like frontside. curve the buildig if u want softness (or an nespresso)is of course not bad and nice to see but we shouldent forget wa need also reasen for waves, hm better not exagerate! its like a big dialog of we shoulden forget art on buildigside;-) therefore its like cool.

# August 4, 2010 at 18:52

rs says:

Im interested in the veil wall as a structural element. Alot of forces are acting on that, yet it remains paper thin, and the building structure appears to me minimally impacted. Hats off to the structural engineer! Learning from Felix Candella – Nice.

# August 4, 2010 at 19:32

Katsudon says:

Neat!
I like it although i’m not super found of it, but at least i’m very pleased to see the high quality level achieved in the details in more and more projects in France!
I would say a decade ago onlt few investors would have seen the interest in putting more money into the details except for exceptional projects.
Well done!

# August 4, 2010 at 23:15

Juan Cristobal says: