GLASS, STEEL AND LIGHT, PROJECT: METRA + ASSOCIES
The
new manufacturing unit at Sophysa, a leading player in neurological valves and
intracranial pressure neuromonitoring systems, is a 5,800-square-meter building
constructed over three levels, featuring a 700-square-meter clean room that
will enable the company to consolidate and boost its international standing.
The
project designed by Métra + Associés, which was responsible for designing the
first building, is created along the same lines with a predominance of glass
and steel and sunshade blades that ripple in the light. Both buildings blend
smoothly into the surrounding environment, embracing the sloping land and affording
wide views of the landscape.
The
complex is equipped with a thermodynamic system that uses a reversible
air-to-water heat pump to eliminate the use of fossil fuels and generate almost
no greenhouse gas emissions.
The
new manufacturing plant, whose operating system is identical to the first, features
the same spatial layout plus an extra floor. The two units are connected by an
all-glass corridor between the two clean rooms in the middle of the new
structure to ensure optimal functionality.
A symbol of Sophysa's identity, the facades,
which evoke those of the first building, contribute to their interaction.
Metallic grey-coloured aluminium-zinc strips wrap around the buildings,
undulating at varying degrees of inclination according to the direction they
face, the amount of sunlight, the views, and type of activity accommodated inside.
All the supports for the slats, set at 90 cm horizontal and 25 cm vertical
intervals, are tilted differently within half a degree of each other to create these
eye-catching façades that are full of energy and life.
Partly
perforated, the slats act as sunshades protecting the glass sections and
interacting with the opaque sections made from the same type of cladding. Just
like miscellaneous intricate neurological instruments forming a coherent, high-performance
whole, the facades, made from the same material, adapt to the needs of the
different spaces they protect.
A
"zen garden" at the entrance creates a delicate transition between the
natural environment outside and the scientific precision of the interiors. The lobby extends upwards
into a lobby that extends over three levels and draws our gaze towards the
upper floors, to the mirrored ceiling with its multiple reflections. The
central space features two symmetrical staircases connecting the different
levels of the building.
Client: Sophysa;
Project: Métra + Associés Brigitte Métra; Project Leaders: Carla
Zacchedu, Alessandro Banchi, Project Team: Mernoush Nahraghi, Paul
Archambault, Natalie Lecot; Structure and Fluids: S2T; Acoustic:
ALTIA; Engineering and Economist: SLETEC; VRD: Blodeau; Lascaping:
Territoires; General Contractor: De Giorgi / Ravoyard. Photo:
Epaillard + Machado
