Younger he was often accompanied Emile ZolaIt is a much larger signal of social justiceWith unemployment is any social temperature rising There is a real excitement about the testPoetry lyricism spectacular images humorI does not have a single English furniture6 of market share in Europe compared to 22The unsuccessful will be many including in the ranks of the French banks to increase the profitability of their investmentsTheir lifestyle is resolutely contemporaryOf a grain elevator to a media library, such was the challenge posed by the urban community of Strasbourg (CUS) architects, under the terms of the contest in 2003, for an opening on 19 September. Storage for storage, moulting was tricky, prohibit the books requiring a light that grain. Winner of the competition, the tandem Ibos and Vitart returned here with the rehabilitation, registry addressed to the Museum of fine arts de Lille, their first achievement unanimously hailed by the critics in 1997. They found here Harbour atmosphere met at Gennevilliers for warehouses.
Beautiful pieces that these elevators based on the port of Strasbourg! Built between the wars by Seegmuller armaments, they align between the basins in alternating vertical blocks and horizontal halls at the South Gate of the city. Only the first sequence to the Austerlitz bridge is involved in the operation, the second left fallow. This part of the port, now central, is promised to the urban reconquest. The management of Etoile area buildings grow on the opposite bank, between the Multiplex (Valode & Pistre, Arch) and the new city of music and dance which is points at the foot of the bridge (Henri Gaudin, Arch.). Focal point of this reconstruction, the new media library André-Malraux gives the district its metropolitan-wide.
Developed at the head of the mole, is elevator figurehead function, the body of the media library in its wake. The existing set template and alignments. If the head elevator remains readable under the silver paint, Hall built in continuity is unrecognizable under canopies which dressed its flanks and extend its form. Only the Poles guess transparency, remains of a building transformed, trademark roof and structures strip set. "All devices brick hourdant facades have fallen to let light in the heart of the volume," explain the two architects, who keep in memory the critics defused by Robert Grossmann, then President of the CUS.
Seismic stress
Thus identified structures were subsequently raised to three storeys and extended to a span of equivalent length to provide the 18,000 square metres of the program. "The new structures are aligned on the existing, specify architects, same altimetry for floors and same axes for the structure with two central lines of poles." In addition to the introduction of light on trays of 22 metres wide, the project meets the constraints of the site and the program. "The seismic standard of Strasbourg basin combines with fire regulations to organize the structure as a great urban size rack, its linear blocked by three towers, two ends and one in the middle."
Head silo hollowed full height is tracked new beams around the central and reinforced two nuclei of traffic well to acquire the required performance. New construction, the central block concentrates traffic reserved to the public, juxtaposing battery of elevators and stairs Chambord cross stolen. The new extension that extends beyond just run on stores, third and last block locking the structural device. Strained between these three battery trays are approaching the limit of 1,000 square metres in "open space" fixed by the regulation. New plateaus of the second span are however cut of hoppers to clear the height along the facades.
Nestled between the Central files, heritage (the historical Fund) room is also on a double-height. Powerful posts flared in capitals of the old part are here replaced by trivial poles square 35 centimetres in steel tubes filled with concrete, "mechanical optimum for keeping the firearms and the earthquake", observes Jean-Marc Ibos. The banality of the new structure is compensated by its small footprint and volumetric games it enables: an all the more pleased scale height of floor dictated by the existing is 3.45 meters between slabs and 4.85 metres on the ground floor. The atmosphere changes so according to the parties and levels, soaring well of the elevator of the columned halls of the halle entry, chapter or cryptic appearance according to the stages, to become light and transparent in the new extension. The transition is smooth and the subdivision by fire glass walls and mirrors in dressing of nuclei, "producing artificial light and perspective effects", note Myrto Vitart.
Climate verrières
Les verrières reported front dosent light on trays and regulate thermal impacts. Identical to the North and South, they constitute a "double skin active" intruded on the steps of the structure. "Each cell thus defined is set with a 10 cm seal which absorbs the dilation and the dimensional differences while maintaining the air intake for air control of the domestic vacuum enclosed between an insulating glass facade and an outer skin and glass scales set on rails in polished stainless steel mirror". Designed by the Agency, this skin was conducted by the Belgian company Portal for EUR 5.8 million, or one-fifth of the cost of the work. Integrated blinds complement this system computer-managed both the brightness for thermal comfort.
On this large bare and extended work, the second work unfolds with precision. "Low height ceiling imposed implantation in apparent all the tripe of the building, industrial logic consistent with the spirit of the place", argues Jean-Marc Ibos. Ventilation ducts and lighting and run in parallel on the enfilade of trays, without no neglected. By contrast, the architects have place a Red Ribbon in zigzag from the ground to the ceiling through the entire building, impacting the crossing shelves. "To break the rigidity of industrial space and the monotony of the grey set," says Myrto Vitart. Designed by Ruedi Baur signage is in counterpoint on the varnish walls of concrete and vitrified soils. Installed by the second day, heritage room stands out by a ground of brightness in the resin redoublant gold flakes. Glass walls, mirrors and slatted panels delineate these vast spaces furnished the best design.
Associated with these choices, the architects have designed all fixed furniture made in steel by the perpetrator, including those of the ground floor Italian: Home banks, bar and cafeteria, robots for sorting and viewing consoles block... This major space in taken on vertical hall allows autonomous operation, with exhibition and conference rooms installed as an extension in the new part. Beautiful cultural evenings in perspective.
