Archetech Issue 22 2016 | Page 100

NL*A Reveals Plans for Open-Concept Green Office Building in France Nicolas Laisné Associés (NL*A Paris) has revealed the plans for its new Offices With Terraces, an office building in Nice, France, which aims to set new standards for bioclimatic work environments. The building’s layout revolves around the idea of flexible workspaces, integrating landscape into the building as an eco-conscious approach. The organization of the building has been reversed, with the circulation passages— typically at the center—moved to the façades to free up central space. Each of the façades is adapted to offer shelter from the sun, additionally acting as an interface between the outside and inside to provide indoor climate control. Overall, the structure embodies a high level of environmental consciousness, as it will be certified BREEAM Very Good within the “EcoCités” label, and it “adheres to the environmental recommendations presented in the Reference Framework for the CRQE (environmental quality for development and construction) set out by the EPA," write the architects. The project is a part of the Nice Méridia technopole development, and will contain 6,400 square meters of office space and 600 square meters of shopping floor space. The building is expected to open by 2018. www.nlaparis.com “This new office building concept draws inspiration from the Mediterranean climate and local lifestyles so as to set the tone for a new quality of life at work. The office becomes a meeting place, a forum with a collegial atmosphere; it lends itself to more collaborative ways of working.” - Christian Tordo President of the éco-Vallée EPA board