Saclay is a small community about 20 kilometers southwest of Paris. The inconspicuous village is home to one of the largest research and science centers in the world. Among them is the 8-hectare site of the world's second-largest energy company - EDF (Électricité de France). The complex comprises of two facilities; in addition to universities, colleges and training facilities of the EDF Campus, the research and development center - "Centre R&D EDF" (Centre de Recherche et Développement d'EDF) covers the majority of the site.
The "Centre R&D EDF" consists of 4 circular buildings with different diameters of up to 160 meters. With a central concept of "living around research", the decision was made to use 4 cylinders instead of a single block. Special attention is to the technical qualities of the premises: daylight illumination through floor-to-ceiling windows, excellent thermal conditioning of the workplaces through a heat recovery system, controlled mobile sun protection, as well as natural ventilation, to create an optimal working atmosphere.
The individual round buildings are united by a consistent façade with large sliding bay windows that all open to a corridor. This corridor is enclosed by large, vertically laid glass strips, which are arranged in a ring around the building. These glass sequences diffuse and distill a special light in the research rooms that are specifically intended to promote concentration. There are also further offices, laboratories and conference rooms to accommodate approximately 160,000 employees of the French electricity company EDF.
The doors of such a heavily frequented area have to meet certain requirements. For this reason, the architects opted for the door handle Manhattan ER21 from KARCHER DESIGN. Thanks to the cylindrical handle section, the door handle adapts perfectly to the round shapes of the complex. The handle overlaps the neck, seamlessly interconnecting, and extending to give the handle a unique design. The satin stainless steel of the Manhattan also creates a connection to the façade of the buildings. The designer door handle is tested according to DIN EN 1906 GK3 and thus fulfills the requirements for buildings with a high level of traffic. The three-part rose system impresses with its quick installation and high load-bearing capacity.
The gear/wheel shaped buildings are synergized by the lever handles, providing optimal design and functionality in the Manhattan ER21, which is also found throughout the Karcher Design range. This makes the installation of KARCHER DESIGN products a perfect counterpart for the EDF research center.
Project Details:
| Project name | Centre R&D EDF |
| Location | Saclay, France |
| Year | 2015 |
| Architect | Francis Soler |
| Photographer | jean-pierre porcher |
| Karcher products | Door fittings |
| Products used | ER21 71 |
