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Unity

A building that combines environmental performance and new collaborative ways of working.

On one of the many industrial wastelands on the right bank of the Garonne river, the Bordeaux metropolitan authority decided to develop the Bastide Niel ZAC, a mixed urban development zone that will include business service premises and offices, housing, shops, a hotel, and public facilities. A complete urban development plan has been drawn up for a series of streets, buildings and squares across some one hundred hectares. Competition winner Dutch firm MVRDV's masterplan includes plots that different architectural firms can use.

A very precise three-dimensional cutting up of the plots according to shape, size, height and roof setbacks was carried out to have optimal sunlight and the guarantee of good natural ventilation.

For the Unity project, Patriarche fully embraced this radical urban design thinking, along with the requirement of compulsory shapes of buildings, and designed the building for various tertiary activities while optimising the division of space and lighting thanks to the use of mezzanines and inclined roof planes.

Client : Bart I Patriarche (Project owner)

Location : Bordeaux, France

Size : 2 200 m²

Status : Delivered

Date : 2021

Key points

Mixed urban development zone architecture.
Bare concrete structure.
Exposed ductwork.
Terracotta tile facades and roofs.
New ways of working.
Coworking.

Environmental perfomances

Thermal regulation RT 2012.
Effinergie+ 2013.
40% gain over Cepmax.
Solar panels.

Download the project sheet

Intentions – bias

The project is designed to offer maximum divisibility while maintaining high functionality, thanks to a system of mezzanines overlooking both the ground floor and the first floor. The building’s core is offset to provide varied surface areas, thereby meeting a wide range of needs. Shared spaces can be partially privatized.

The building’s architecture, with its sloping walls and mezzanines, creates bright, loft-style spaces with exposed structures and a distinctly modern feel. UNITY thus finds its rightful place within the Bastide Niel development zone, created to stand out.

These open-plan office spaces are modular and adaptable to various needs. They include Framery Acoustics privacy pods: comfortable, soundproof booths designed for phone calls or small meetings without disturbance.

The cafeteria on the second floor has been furnished with cozy, enveloping GRAN armchairs from Kragelund Furniture, along with a wooden coffee table from Bolia — creating a warm and minimalist informal space.

The reception area of the Patriarche offices features Jess Design armchairs, a Carrara marble table by Jasper Morrison for Vitra, and modular storage units from USM Modular Furniture — a smart and stylish space that meets users’ needs for flexibility.

Intelligent in both functionality and modularity, the project is designed to offer maximum divisibility.

Technical focus

The building envelope’s airtightness will be tested with a target of I4 = 1.0 m³/h·m². The airtightness of the air distribution network will be verified with a Class B target.
The structure is made of concrete, with 16 cm of external insulation behind cladding on the façade. The roof is insulated with a 30 cm layer of mineral wool.

The ground floor above the parking area is built on a slab-ongrade. Windows feature double glazing with a high solar factor and external solar shading.
Ventilation is a dual-flow system with certified heat recovery performance. Domestic hot water for the restrooms is provided by small electric storage tanks located near the points of use.

Heating for the building is primarily supplied by the urban heating network, which is partially powered by renewable energy. In addition, heating is supported by a VRF system (direct expansion air-source heat pump) with certified energy recovery and air condensation performance. This system also meets the building’s cooling needs. A radiant floor heating system provides base heating.

Complementary comfort units are low-power ducted systems. Lighting is LED-based, with presence detectors and dimming according to natural light levels. On the roof, a total surface of 248 m² or 31.9 kWp of photovoltaic panels is installed.

BIM

This complex project has benefited from a BIM approach from the very beginning of the design phase. The digital model is central to collaboration and has enabled:

Ensuring the quality of studies;
Improving coordination efforts;
Enhancing building efficiency;
Supporting cost estimation throughout the project;
Extracting quantities (surface tables, schedules, etc.).

Standardized signage for evolving practices

Given the constantly evolving use of co-working spaces, our mission was to design signage that can be easily adjusted to suit changing practices. Thus, the elements that make up the Directory panel are interchangeable and replaceable thanks to a system of removable plates.

A sleek and flexible design that enhances the concrete walls of Walter’s new offices in Bordeaux.

Team

Patriarche (Architecture, Interior Architecture, All-trades Engineering, Environmental Quality of Buildings (QEB), Cost Management, BIM, Signage, Graphic Design)
Autumn | Patriarche (General Contractor)
Myah | Patriarche (General Contractor for Interior Fit-Out)
Walter | Patriarche (Operation, Services, and Space Animation)

Credits

Program

Offices

Strategy

Walter Montreal

Lassagne