Sophysa Production Unit: An exemplary high-tech building made of steel

The company's production site in Besançon is designed according to its high-tech needs, and ArcelorMittal facade products emphasise its modern architecture: Gascogne® cladding panels and Hélice sun breakers to keep off bright sunlight.

Detailed information

A very modern steel facade

The building has the shape of a parallelepiped with a length of 75 m, width of 27 m, and height of 10 m on average. The facade is made of ArcelorMittal Construction’s Gascogne®, a fixed siding system 240 mm wide, placed at the top of the building, and helical blinds in front of the glazed parts of the facade.  The blinds, Hélice made of Kristal® coated steel from ArcelorMittal Construction, vary their angle according to the orientation, sunlight, views, and type of activity being housed. The strips can be perforated in the vision areas and are bent around the edges of the building.

A frame made of galvanised steel tubes measuring 50x30 mm on a 90 cm frame supports blind strips on mounting brackets placed at different angles. The glass sheets are covered with double glazing with a low-emissive layer.

The interior of the building has a clean ambience suitable for laboratories. The process of designing and manufacturing precision instruments requires the use of smooth, light, and durable materials. Stainless steel is used in several places, especially on the stairs and inside the white room.

Para-seismic steel frame

The structure is made of steel designed according to para-seismic standards, which are directly integrated at the foundation and plinth levels with concrete anchor studs for the ground floor. It is composed of fifteen gates of ECI 360 or ECI 400 and a central longitudinal beam in the IPE 550 sections for stability. The central posts vary between 150 and 340 mm. A secondary structure is suspended for attaching ducts, to suspend false ceilings, and to hold the plenum walkways.

Project Information

  • France
  • Besançon
  • Architect:
    METRA & Associés
    Project Manager: G. Lenouenne, O. Foucher
  • 2007
  • Client:
    Sophysa
  • Engineering Firm:
    Frachon Soder, RFR
  • Contractors:
    Ravoyard (steel structure)
    Smac (facade)
    Obliger (glazing)
  • Photographer:
    © Jean-Francois Chapuis
    © Philippe Ruault