Hairplan®: quality material & a coloured facade in the pyramid-like residential complex Quadr'île De Nantes

Detailed information

Located on the Island of Nantes (Île de Nantes) formed by the two branches of the Loire in the city's centre, the Quadr'île de Nantes is surrounded by water and green spaces. It forms part of the area's reurbanisation and transformation programme to create high quality living spaces.

A new residential building was erected on the back part of the plot of an existing building from 1989, a former car garage and dealership which is one of the buildings that characterises the architectural landscape of the Island of Nantes. As such, it was preserved, renovated, and converted into commercial space with a car park on the first floor and was respectfully integrated into the mixed-use Quadr'île project.

Monolithic sculpture

Designed by local architectural agency Barré-Lambot, the new residential building is conceived as a monolithic sculpture that appears different from every angle. On three sides it reminds one of a pyramid due to the tapered triangles in the facades. On the other side, the building has a quadrangle structure forming a completely unique silhouette. It is characterised by its distinctive shape and facade design that respects the existing surroundings. 

The new building offers 113 apartments of different sizes (1 to 5 bedrooms) organised around an inner courtyard. Apart from 82 owner-occupied housing units, it also offers 31 rental apartments for the Social Housing Programme. All apartments open towards the south or west. The compactness of this 9-storey modern pyramid is compensated with its interior gardens and alleyways which let the light into the heart of the building.

Steel facade by ArcelorMittal: quality material & colour concept

The design of the monolithic building's facade was a crucial point in the architectural concept. In order to underline its modern lines and unique shape, the aim was to have a smooth facade and a special colour concept. Whereas the exterior facades were kept in a darker shade, the courtyard is illuminated with brighter interior facades. The metallic shine and its reflections change throughout the day.

For the facade cladding, the architects chose Hairplan® 300, a steel siding panel from ArcelorMittal Construction's aesthetic product range. With its the extensive Colorissime colour chart, the special colour challenges could be met: The exterior facades are made of Hairplan® with the 60-micron coating Intense in Bronze, and the courtyard facades are coated with Pearl, in the shiny shade Gold Perla.

Apart from the smooth and uniform facade surfaces it creates, Hairplan® 300 is a highly technological material with many advantages. Due to the length of the panels, additional cutting can be avoided, and it offers a precise layout for the windows.

For the cladding of the car park of the building, the perforated version of Hairplan®, Hairplan® Deco, was used. This way, natural light comes into the car park and ventilation is guaranteed.