for a project commissioned by french lighting company sammode, freaks architecture has designed a new research and development center in lamotte beuvron, south of orléans. built within an old printing warehouse, the outline of the renovation was to create a space that meets the technical requirements of the program by providing generous office spaces, both open-plan and more isolated.
image © david foessel
freaks has delineated the large warehouse space using four timber boxes covered with spruce. within these closed volumes, which are sometimes completely airtight and light-proof, numerous tests of sammode‘s luminaires are carried out, including thermal shock, waterproofness with talc, longevity, vibration and electromagnetic measurement. the surrounding spaces that are generated as a result of the boxes provide open offices and shared spaces, a zone of assembly and a zone for prototyping.
image © david foessel
while the majority of the window and door positions remain unchanged, new openings have been made to bring in more natural light into the building. a protrusion on the roof, which can be seen from the street, accommodates a 5 meter high photogoniometer that is used to calculate the light intensity. the whole building is covered with a double skin of corrugated stainless steel sheets. the alternation of solid and perforated sheets allows a transparency that offers a glimpse of the inside activity.
image © david foessel
the surroundings of the existing building have also been curated: the vegetation that has grown spontaneously provides a very pleasant work environment while an a landscape intervention has been realized inside the new patio. a terrace has been built as an extension of the facade with extra trees, hedges and grasses, for the comfort of the site occupants and their visitors.
image © david foessel
image © david foessel
image © david foessel
image © david foessel
image © david foessel
image © david foessel
image © david foessel
image © freaks
image © david foessel
project info:
project name: sammode research and innovation center
location: paris, france
architect: freaks architecture
photography: david foessel
designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.
edited by: lynne myers | designboom
