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Architects: Lautrefabrique Architectes
- Area: 1410 m²
- Year: 2018
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Photographs:Luc Boegly
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Manufacturers: Covering Chile, Laudescher, Milliken, Pollmeier, TEXAA, Vescom
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Lead Architects: Jean-Pascal Crouzet, Architect Dplg
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Quantity Surveyor: DBH, Cedric Huther
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Acoustical Engineers: DBSilence, Loïc Sturm
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HVAC Engineers: H3C, Pierre Ruzin
Text description provided by the architects. Committed to the transformation of its workspace into a place of living and sharing, Korus, has rethought its collaborative effectiveness, establishing new paradigms for working together.
Previously spread over a two-storey building, Korus now wishes to develop its former storage warehouse to bring its employees into new spaces conducive to their development and creativity while making its head office the showcase of its expertise : the development of commercial spaces.
The architects worked to reveal and stage-manage the values of the land claimed by Korus. Nature and authenticity are anchored in a project of local rural tradition, whether in the use of a formal register taking the skylights of agricultural dryers of the region or by using to the colours of adobe buildings in the valley or surrounding forests.
The “Warehouse” is thoroughly stripped out, recyclable elements such as cladding are put into storage, leaving only the frame and roof. The facade on the south side is made up of a curtain wall from top to bottom, protected by motorized brise-soleils.
In the centre of the Warehouse, an amphitheatre staircase serves as a forum, suitable for informal meetings as well as for assembly presentations. The amphitheatre offers spectacular views over the valley, plunges onto the double height work space. A forest of woodland-coloured cones, suspended above the desks, reduces reverberation times and weakens the perceived noise level. The acoustic studies led to the installation of large quantities of sound absorbing materials to compensate for the hardness of the materials voluntarily left unfinished and visible.
The “Beehive” is a multi-purpose and versatile space that can accommodate around forty people for all types of activities at any time of the day : welcoming visitors, formal or informal meetings, lunch-break events, relaxation, or work sessions.
The gateway crossed, the visitor is caught up by a breath-taking panoramic view overlooking a picturesque and unspoilt valley, bordered from east to west by the Chartreuse and Vercors mountains, framing in its centre Grenoble and the Belledone range.
A very long bar, with curved ends, a pewter top and a base lined with the cladding sheets of the warehouse, symbolizes the disruptive will of this project in which reception desk and logo of the brand are prohibited. The way to welcome visitors to the new headquarters of Korus is completely redesigned. The bar gathers all the functions necessary for its multiple uses.
The Beehive has specific alcoves intended for creativity, manual work, stimulation of creativity and innovation and dedicated to the exhibition of materials, books, etc ...
Usable throughout the day as a place of informal exchanges, at lunch time The Beehive becomes the employees’ refectory. The kitchen is located behind the shell of an old Citroën Tub. Evoking both the truck-food and the multi-service van that crisscrossed the countryside until the late 70’s.
The convivial spaces of the Beehive extend outside with a series of terraces, and steps oriented toward the valley, a shade-house expressing the quintessence of this incredible connection with the great landscape.
