Vinci starts Paris complex

Vinci Construction France has started work on the Origine complex, an 80,000m² mixed-use development near the new Nanterre-La Folie station, in the western suburbs of Paris, France.

The work is on behalf of its customer, property developer ICADE. The new project is located at the heart of the Quartier des Terrasses, opposite the future Quartier des Groues.

The works will be carried out by Vinci Construction France, with Vinci Energies in charge of the implementation of environmental certificates and labels for the office component. It will be completed in the autumn of 2020.

The new contract calls for the construction of three buildings, designed as a window onto the city by Maud Caubet Architectes and Quadrifiore Architecture.

Located near the U Arena and Nanterre-La Folie station on Line E of the RER regional express system and Line 15 of the Grand Paris Express system, the Origine complex is part of the development of Nanterre’s Quartier des Terrasses and Quartier des Groues, which are destined to become the links between the city and the La Défense business district.

The first two buildings, each with nine storeys and a total surface area of 70,000m² of office space, will be connected via three underground levels, including two parking levels.

Vinci said that on the ground floor, there would be a restaurant shared by all companies, an auditorium, gym and so on. The storeys above the entrance will be cantilevered, supported by a part that is also suspended. This architectural and technical challenge will be made possible by the installation of a metal load-bearing frame weighing 220 tonnes.

From the interior garden, it will be possible to see eight storeys of the concrete-wood structure. The office complex will be completed by loggias, making it very light and open to the exterior. The third building, with 10 storeys and a surface area of 10,000m², will comprise 145 housing units, a crèche and retail outlets.

Vinci Construction France and Vinci Energies teams will execute the entire Origine project in full BIM (Building Information Modelling), which gives the various participants access to all site information in real time.

Vinci said that Origine aimed to achieve a high environmental performance combining four certifications – HQE 2016 with an Excellent rating, BREEAM with an Excellent rating, LEED with a Gold rating, and WELL with a Silver rating – as well as two quality labels – Biodiversity and E+C- – all of which is said to be a first in France.

The project includes the installation of 2,800 solar panels for lighting and geothermal boreholes for heating. In addition, Vinci Construction France has signed Paris La Défense’s charter, undertaking to ensure the site causes minimal disturbance to nearby residents.

Lastly, through its Attitude Environment quality label, which covers waste recycling, monitoring and managing water and electricity consumption, CO₂ emissions, protecting the environment and biodiversity, etc, Vinci Construction France said it had committed to minimising the impact of its operations on the environment.