You have added a new link to your collection You have deleted a link from your collection
;
    • 22 June 2021

      French Biotope Promotes Wellness at Work


      The 30,000m2 workspace ‘The Biotope’ in Lille, France, follows ‘Breathing Nature’ design concept with a sustainable structure maximizing access to fresh air, daylight and green spaces.

    • On Monday, September 24th, builders secured the cornerstone for our 30,000m2 Biotope building in Lille, France, marking a milestone in the project’s rapid 15-month construction.

      Initially constructed as a potential new headquarters for the European Medicine Agency, the building’s structure provides the physical infrastructure for wellness. The name stems from the ancient Greek term for “place of life,” so named for the building’s thorough incorporation of green vegetation. Prioritizing maximum access to daylight, fresh air and green spaces are central to the building’s design concept of ‘breathing nature,’ where organic form encourages connection to nature.

      “The site of this project is part of a ring of parks, forests and gardens around the city center, so our main focus was to make the building a continuation of this green belt,” said Clara Stewart, an architect in our landscape department.

      “We worked with local ecologists to ensure we had a good variety of native trees and plants throughout the building, and we aimed to implement them in a way that helps local well-being. It’s very important to have physical and visual contact with nature.”

      With 60 percent of columns and 80 percent of load-bearing walls already in place on the ground floor, construction on the project site will continue through the winter. Between a team of four hundred workers and four cranes, the Biotope is slated for completion by December 2019.