randja architects completes robust stone & concrete technology park in france

situated within the saint lô city, in the north of france, architecture firm randja has realized the ‘fort’ agglo 21 technology park. deeply influenced by the location’s historical background and overall appearance, the project showcases a distinct architecture with strong, stone & concrete structures that refer to the fortresses of normandy.

all images by luc boegly

saint-lô is very much part of a tough modern history, with the city having been flattened by dreadful bombings at the end of WWII. when the randja team visited the site, they came across the broken stones of history; the aggregate, the very concrete that was used after WWII, the shattered stone turned into rubble, that saint-lô gathered and sorted to build anew its solid and protective walls. these very elements all converged to assert the materiality of the new project.

the composite found on the site is used in the overall construction: it has been gathered, recycled, transformed, assembled, and aggregated in order to form different concretes. all sails are made of precast concrete, filled with insulation, and are assembled on site. the concrete is sometimes exposed, sometimes raw, and other times smooth, or covered with transparent fiberglass.

the core element of the project is the robust concrete wall structure, completed by ‘boxes’, made of galvanised steel and filled with rocks, commonly known as gabions. these gabions revolve and play the role of the patio walls. when these walls are closed, they protect the spaces; when they are opened, they show the way towards the facilities and encourage visitors to participate in social activities.

between the building’s sturdy volumes and the gaps, there is a courtyard, terraces/stairs, and a passage. these spaces are made in order to facilitate circulation and promote interaction among users. they are also a fertile ground for exchange, discussion, and subversion, which are necessary for creation.

the new technopole is designed to generate a business incubator, a coworking space, a meeting place for companies wishing to develop and diversify. it is a place for creative, inventive, and innovative companies, which will find there all the means to carry out their projects. it is also a place for training and information, a feature that complements existing initiatives. in order to achieve this ambition, the program. the establishment is designed to feature an event space, an activity space, an amphitheatre/lecture hall, along with videoconference rooms that overhang the nearby expressway.