Central Kitchen in Lamballe with an aesthetic and functional facade

Detailed information

The master plan expresses a principle of 'ribbon' composition whose implementation on the ground protected the various building volumes in order to adequately demarcate the service yards.

The operation of the kitchen reflects the 'sequence of operations' flow diagram: The route from the raw food to the finished product traces a logical path through the production areas or a short direct path between the supply hatch and the delivery hatch.

Each work area enjoys natural light from skylights or saw-tooth roofs and from windows. Direct views to the outside were provided for the main production areas, washing-up area, and each office.

The administrative and staff facilities wing was connected to the short path in order to minimise personnel movement to work areas. The rest area was placed at the hub of personnel flows. The staff locker rooms constitute an access chamber to the kitchen area.

The administrative offices are organised to afford operation independent from the rest of the site. They are arranged around the meeting room and access to them is under the control of the secretariat.

The building's architecture

The principle of 'ribbons' is the expression of:

A functional principle: Two service areas, bookending the production zone, are marked on the southwest facade by two very closed volumes (these are storage areas) on each side of a volume that is very open to the outside, providing direct views to the outside.

In its basement, the production area has a crawl space for the passage of wastewater pipes and water and gas supply pipes. It is topped by a large plenum chamger for the passage of ventilation ducts and low- and high-voltage cables fed from plant rooms located in the tall volume that frames the open-air service zone.

The building’s construction method enabled great flexibility and adaptability of the spaces on the concrete foundation plinth and of the crawl space. It makes extensive use of a light galvanised steel structure reducing the loadbearing points.

This entirely traditional dry assembly enables a reduction in construction time on site.

It constitutes a saving of resources in that the inner walls of three quarters of the building are linings or partitions consisting of isothermal sandwich panels. Thermocoated steel or mirror-polished stainless steel cladding was required for external finishing.

Two types of cladding were proposed:

- Solid and perforated metallic-coated steel cassette cladding reflects the sky and expresses the qualities of hygiene emphasised in the architectural project.
- In contrast, anthracite grey steel slat cladding absorbs the light and unifies the storage and production spaces.

The coated aluminium windows are, in general, fitted with shutters to filter the light or to protect the openings against intrusion.

Text: Bonnot Architecture