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M3 - Echo Tango

A complex of office buildings in an ecopark.

Over the past few years, the Ecoparc has been developing around the Valence TGV station, and is home to over a hundred companies. Located at the entrance to such a boldly ambitious park, the buildings must be exemplary in terms of façade elegance, choice of noble, eco-responsible materials and user comfort.

This is the context in which our projects take place.
The M3 and Echo & Tango buildings, modern and intelligent in their functionality, modularity and exemplary ecological footprint, form the entrance to the new park. They offer a peaceful working environment, as well as convivial meeting and event spaces. They offer divisible and adaptable floors to accommodate different company sizes and profiles.

User comfort is at the heart of the project, with an architectural focus on unobstructed views and natural light.
Patios, large terraces, walkways: outdoor spaces are an integral part of the buildings, contributing to a peaceful working environment.

Client : Syndicat mixte Rovaltain
Bart I Patriarche (Project owner)
Crédit Agricole, Caisse des dépots (Investors)
Location : Valence, France
Surface : 13 200 m²
Status : Delivered
Date : M3 : 2019
Echo Tango : 2024
Key points
  • Scalability, modularity, divisibility.
  • Outdoor spaces.
  • Meticulous facades, walkways.
  • Wood cladding.
  • Connected buildings.
Performance environnementale
  • ISO 14001-certified environmental management system.
  • Electrical power less than 30kVa/m².
  • Energy consumption less than 100kwhep/m².
  • "Smart grid ready" building.
  • Photovoltaic self-consumption.
  • Green building site.
  • Heat pumps.
  • M3 : HPE Effinergie BEPOS 2013 certified.
  • Echo Tango: BREEAM certification target.
  • Expected PV production: 220,000 kWh for Building A and 195,000 kWh for Building B.
Download the project sheet

Intentions - M3

The project fits into the urban fabric defined by the Ecoparc Rovalatin specifications, and respects street alignments.

The first floor is mainly dedicated to commercial activities.
The upper 4 levels are dedicated to tertiary activities. A glazed base for the shops stands out from the office floors, with their more grid-like facades, alternating full and empty spaces.
On level 2, the pointed shape creates a terrace sheltered from northerly winds. Continuing on from this volume is a structure clad in metal mesh, on which climbing plants can grow. This structure also shelters the terrace from the wind.

Facades

On the exterior, the building’s architecture is characterized by horizontal strata. On the facade, the volumes designed to accommodate the office floors are thickly designed. Peripheral, accessible concrete-structured walkways mark the horizontality and act as fixed sunshades while protecting the cladding. This protection will enable the wood to retain its original warm color.

While all the caps act as sunshades in summer, it was felt necessary to install external BSO blinds on all facades.

Wood cladding was chosen for the offices. The facades are marked by the repetition of wooden mullions, but the random rhythm given by the presence of wood cladding or glazing adds dynamism to the whole project.

To the west, on the street side, there are vertical, highly glazed gaps representing the entrances to the office floors. The same type of hollow is found on the east side, but re-cut by balconies on each level.

The ground floor, which is heavily glazed on the street side, is clad in grey metal cladding for enclosed premises.

Roof-mounted technical equipment is partially sheltered behind similar metal cladding. The overall effect is that of a greenhouse.

The roof alternates between the same perforated metal cladding and voids, as the equipment requires ample access to the outside air.

The project’s architecture is based on the desire to enhance a central, high-quality landscaped area.

Intentions - Echo Tango

Echo-Tango follows on from M3, and comprises two buildings - A and B - arranged in an L-shape around a landscaped patio. The south and east facades feature generous terraces on each level, creating views of the wider landscape.

The architecture of the entrances is emphasized. To the north, the main entrance features a juxtaposition of footbridges linking the two buildings. The main entrance to the east and the secondary entrance to the west face each other, thanks to a curtain wall that creates transparency, or a reflection, between the station square and the landscaped interior patio.

The two buildings are served by central cores with four access points on each level, enabling excellent division of the floor plates.

Facades

Playing with the strict horizontality of the courtyards, the tall, narrow openings, extended by metal transoms, conceal the sunbreakers and give rhythm to the verticality of the whole. The 1.50 m grid of 0.60 m and 0.90 m windows alternates with full windows of the same size, and the staggering of the windows from one level to the next enlivens the facade lines.

The horizontal division between the first floor and upper levels is clear, and the base effect is marked by the proportions of the openings and the facade finish, which are different from those on the upper floors. The use of mineral materials anchors the building to the site, maintaining continuity with the public space. Continuity of vision is ensured by the generous height and width of the openings, which penetrate the building from one side to the other, allowing interior and exterior spaces to interact, right through to the landscaped heart of the block.

The project’s architecture is based on the desire to enhance a central, high-quality landscaped area.

Adaptable, sober workspaces

The interior spaces respond to the exterior spaces, using natural materials such as wood and raw materials such as concrete and stone-effect tiling. They create a harmony that respects the building’s identity.

The sobriety of the spaces makes it easy for users to make the most of the available space.
The creation of mezzanines, generous terraces and internal circulation between the buildings are all “extra” spaces that make these offices a pleasant place to live.

A peaceful, personalized working environment for companies and users alike.

Team

Patriarche (Architecture, MEP Engineering, Cost)
Autumn | Patriarche (Main contractor)
Walter | Patriarche (Operations, services and venue management)

Credits:

Photos: ©Vincent Legallic and ©Romuald Nicolas

Programme

Offices
Strategy
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