Information
Owner
SCI Delorme
Architect
STUDIOS Architecture
Product
290 m² of SageGlass Climaplus Classic
Completed
June 2017
Photos
© K. Khalfi
Body

CHALLENGE

Located at the corner of Boulevard Malesherbes and Boulevard Berthier, Metropolitan is a shining light in the French capital’s 17th arrondissement. Full of character, this building boasts an understated design and a location a stone’s throw from the central business district and near the Saint-Lazare hub.

Formerly the headquarters of GDF-SUEZ (1957), it underwent major renovation in 2016 to become what is now a modern, dynamic, vibrant site, connected to the outdoors and responding to new uses and CSR objectives for businesses. Technical equipment was upgraded, spaces underwent a visual and functional transformation and the main entrance was repositioned – transforming the building into a truly dynamic, vibrant space that embodies new ways to live and work.

Developed by the agency STUDIOS Architecture, Metropolitan’s contemporary interior design is created from hip premium materials: stone, concrete and natural woods. Light – natural as well as artificial – is a key feature of workplaces and shared spaces.

Concierge staff, a gym, an auditorium, a restaurant – Metropolitan provides employees with a range of services to aid their well-being.

Café Kube is among them. A contemporary venue with a landscaped outdoor terrace, Café Kube’s different spaces are designed to offer different ways to work and relax together. In good weather, the terrace, with its famous glass ‘kube’ extension, allows occupants to enjoy the landscaped garden.

Thanks to SageGlass, Café Kube’s customers enjoy maximum natural light and a connection to the outdoors without ever suffering from heat and glare.
Carin Nilsson, Architect
STUDIOS Architecture

SOLUTION

With a property sector increasingly focused on the human aspect, where employee satisfaction is a key factor in performance, businesses are paying close attention to their choice of location, the building’s footprint and its impact on occupants’ well-being.

Thanks to its design and all the equipment installed, Metropolitan has obtained a triple environmental certification: HQE Renovation Excellent, BREEAM Renovation Very Good and WELL ‘Core and Shell’ (the first building to receive this label in France). SageGlass smart electrochromic glazing is among the key solutions for well-being and sustainable development chosen for Café Kube. This dynamic glazing, used to create the glass ‘kube’ opening onto the garden and the atrium over the main staircase in the auditorium foyer, tints or lightens automatically based on sunlight levels, protecting occupants from excessive light and heat and ensuring excellent energy efficiency in the café. The link between the café’s interior and the garden outside is maintained, as the SageGlass glazing retains its transparency no matter its tint.

 

BENEFITS

The dynamic SageGlass glazing with variable tinting can be darkened and lightened automatically or manually throughout the day to adapt to outdoor weather conditions and occupants’ needs: it helps to manage the level of natural light and heat entering and protects against glare. This ensures optimum comfort for building occupants who enjoy maximum – but never excessive – natural light and a view of the outdoors, two elements whose beneficial effects on health, productivity and well-being have been proven by numerous studies.

Staying clear when sunlight is needed or tinting when it needs to be limited, SageGlass also helps reduce the building’s artificial lighting, air-conditioning and heating needs. Maintenance costs are also reduced, as no outdoor or indoor sun protection is required.

This innovative technology is therefore perfectly in line with the Metropolitan’s desired aims of comfort and sustainability.