WATA - World Architecture Technal Awards Edition 2019 | Page 52

AWARD EXTENSION
Head Office of the Departmental Federation
of Energies, Cahors,
France
Architect Agency
Franck Martinez
Owner
Head Office of the Departmental Federation of Energies,
Cahors, France
Technal Metal Builder
Rouergue Aluminium
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On the edge of a small arm of the river, facing the peninsula of
the Cahors stadium, the new offices of the Lot Departmental
Federation of Energies occupies an former vegetable plot. This
land in a flood zone led Franck Martinez architecture workshop
to raise this 600 square meters structure. He imagined a volume
all in length, linked to an old 18th-century building carefully
preserved and rehabilitated.
The building is moving towards a rational typology of an office
building. Its envelope is punctuated by a regular grid, alternating
concrete elements and SOLEAL 65 composition windows. The
dynamic configuration of the full and empty spaces contrasts
with the existing building and its regular layout with TECHNAL
joineries. To protect themselves from the sun, the joineries
use fixed metal skylights or motorised blinds depending on the
exposure of the east/west façades.
The slim aspect of the profiles and the silk grey colour of the
various elements, which is similar to the concrete, allow the
openings to disappear entirely in the façade. This effect, “tone
on tone”, changes the appearance of the building according to
the external views. Looking from the sides, the envelope looks
smooth but the holes are clearly visible from the front view.
Easily recognisable from the street, the facade creates a strong
image for the Federation.
Prefabrication work was also essential for this project. Rouergue
Aluminium, metal builder, has manufactured identical modules
for each office in its workshop. They integrate a fixed frame with
transparent glazing and an opening with aluminium sheet infill.
The offices are organized on both sides of a central circulation
giving rise to two thicknesses of premises. In the east, services,
vertical traffic and common premises are favoured. To the
west, on the landscaped garden, the various services of the
programme alternate with small full height patios.