10012008 Publication Group Crescendo HS 2008 Uk

8/13/2019 10012008 Publication Group Crescendo HS 2008 Uk

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Concrete innovationfor new

architecturalchallenges

specialedition


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CRESCENDO SPECIAL EDITION | L A F A R G E | O C T O

n emerging markets, the demand for housing, facilities and infrastructure isgrowing exponentially. To satisfy this huge demand today there is no credible

alternative to concrete. Is this a good enough argument to justify its use?

Certainly not. But in view of the challenges of our time, concrete has many other

arguments in its favor than the mechanical properties or the competitive pricing

that have made it successful. At the time of the battle against climate change

and of the need to design highly energy-efficient buildings, this fantastic material

opens up unsuspected possibilities in answer to the questions asked by society.

It is accessible to the vast majority and can be easily produced everywhere. It is

a material of exceptional and unrivalled durability. It is a versatile material that

has an infinite number of properties and potential uses. Although concrete

can be easily produced, the scientific complexity of its content gives an

almost infinite potential

for technological innova-

tion.Finally, it is a natural

material, using widely

available resources. A totally recyclable material, whose production requires

little energy and is always carried out close to the sites where it is used and is

therefore only transported over very short distances. Through all these proper-

ties, concrete is recognized as a green material, fully in phase with its time, a

time when architects must reconcile ever greater environmental, urban planning,

technical and aesthetic constraints in order to bring their projects to life. In

taking up this constant challenge, concrete offers them almost unlimited

freedom. We are proud to be able to bring to the service of their art a material

that improves in performance every day, a material that stimulates their

creativity, a modern-day material.

i

BRUNO LAFONT

Chairman & ChiefExecutive Officer,

Lafarge

BRUNOLAFONT

Concrete, a modern-day material

04 Journey into the heart of the gray matter

06 Concrete, a green material!

08 Concrete, at the heart of sustainable construction

10 A matter of architecture

THE MATTER, THE MATERIAL,THE FEAT

14 Zaha Hadid challenges materials

16 Marrec & Combarel:

Radical modesty and a passion for concrete

20 The structural revolution of Villa Navarra

22 Le Corbusiers church is finally topped out

THE EMOTION, THE DREAM,THE SENSES

26 Christian de Portzamparc

Dreams of musical architecture

28 Rudy Ricciottis material dreams

30 Frdric Borel:

Architecture, a multi-sensory journey

32 Rmy Marciano builds tomorrows memories

TOMORROWS WORLD, THE THINKING,THE VISION

36 The skys the limit for todays towers

40 Hypergreen: the tower building that captures the sunlight

42 Managing urban growth

46 Objective: zero net energy

48 At the cutting edge of innovation

50 New generation concretes

M

diathqueLafarge-Eric

Tourneret-LeCorbusier(architecte)-JosOubrerie(architecte)


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Cutting-edge technology

Such innovations have been made possible

thanks to techniques such as nuclear magnetic

resonance or electron microscope scanning

Cutting-edge tools allow for the observation and

better understanding of the physical and chem-

ical phenomena created in materials on a micro-

scopic scale. The construction of works such

as the Millau viaduct, an authentic technological

achievement, has had the full benefit of these

breakthroughs. Capable of taking on any shape,

whether prefabricated or made on site and having

E 4 | L A F A R GE | O C T O B E R 2 0 0 8 | CR ESCEND O SPEC I AL E DI TI ON CRE SCEND O SPEC I AL ED IT I ON | L A F A RGE | OC T OB

A forerunner in studies on materials on a nanometerscale, Lafarge makes understanding of the infinitely

small the cornerstone of its research.The research finds its application in the development

of new ranges of ultra-high performance concretes.

filaments and the grains of the gray matter

which is concrete. Thanks to new technologies,

the exploration of matter on a nanometer scale

has brought to light the numerous mechanical

properties of concrete, as well as the way these

change over time. Understanding of the granu-

lar mass of concrete has enabled reductions in

its water content and therefore made it extreme-

ly resistant to external forces (climate, pollution,

acid rain). The result is greater density and

enhanced mechanical performance for an even

more durable material, explains Paul Acker.

esistant, ductile, long lasting, sustainable A ver-

itable revolution is happening in the world of con-

crete, where very high performance materials,

which enhance the finished appearance of build-

ings, revolutionize mechanical resistance capa-

bilities and ensure improved thermal and acoustic

insulation are making their appearance.

Their development has gone beyond the exper-

imental to enter the realms of science. We are

a long way from concrete by the trowel, jokes

Paul Acker, scientific director of the Lafarge

Research Center. Today, our concretes are for-

mulated by computer for accuracy to the near-

est gram. A huge technological revolution has

taken place over the past ten years, bringing

about a revolution in construction methods.

Research into the infinitely small makes travel

into the heart of matter possible and allows

understanding of the complex alchemy that gov-

erns the relationships between the pores, the

r

DR

Journey into theheart of the gray matter

SCIENTIFICPARTNERSH

Progress in fundam

enabled the acquis

knowledge of matt

scale. The Group, w

than 500 people o

different nationalit

Development all ov

a particular interes

discoveries and the

and future researc

supporting fundam

works closely with

universities and en

world. In the Unite

established partne

Massachusetts Ins

the Universities of

and Princeton (Ne

the University of To

University in Queb

similar programs. I

works with Imperia

Ecole Polytechniqu

and, in 2006, crea

of sustainable cons

chair with the Eco

the Ecole des Pont

Lafarge is the part

the University of T

Millau viaduct, France,

by Norman Foster, architect.

unequalled structural properties, concrete has

become the material of the future. In the United

States, the first highway bridge built using Ductal,

or the Villa Navarra in France, whose very thin

roof stretches over a length of 40 meters, have

made the most of the possibilities offered by a

new generation of concretes.

A composite material whose use gradually

became the norm during the 20th century, con-

crete today is the product the most consumed

in the world after water. And it continues to evolve,

offering ever more possibilities. Modern, respect-

ful of the environment, perfectly malleable and

versatile, concrete the world over is well-suited

to the most daring architectural undertakings.

View of anunpolished concrete,magnified1,000 times.

View of a sound, polished concrete,magnified 1,000 times in whichthe cement has been hydrated andthe components well distributed.

View of polished Ductal concrete,magnified 1,000 times to show thedensity of the material.


4/27

rapid growth in emerging countries where the

infrastructure needs are immense in order to

ensure economic and social development.

Because it is also an affordable product, concrete

is the only one able to meet t his demand and can

be used by the vast majority, as proven by the

low-cost housing programs built on a large scale

in South Africa to address the lack of decent

housing. Finally, it is a local material, produced

locally and requiring little or no transport.

An inert product, it is safe for health compared

with other construction products (insulation sys-

tems such as steel compound, fiberglass or rock,

insulating foam) or for water pipes and aque-

ducts. It is 100% recyclable. All these reasons

come in addition to the properties of the mate-

rial itself: unequalled durability, almost entirely

natural ingredients, uniquely mechanical and

fire resistant and with high acoustic insulation

qualities. And beyond these inherent qualities,

the analysis of a buildings life cycle, from pro-

duction of the materials to the destruction of the

edifice, makes concrete a firmly competitive and

energy-efficient product. There is no doubt that

concrete is a green material!

E 6 | L A F A R GE | O C T O B E R 2 0 0 8 | CR ESCEN D O SPEC I AL ED I T I O N

ement, water, aggregates In spite of the appar-

ent simplicity of its composition, concrete is, in

reality, a complex material which for a few years

now has been revealing the true extent of its poten-

tial. Subject only to empirical analysis in the past,

it is now the subject of scientific research which

has shaken traditional views, improved the under-

standing of its behavior and helped to develop

new, often revolutionary formulas. In view of the

challenges facing sustainable construction, at a

time when needs in terms of housing, mobility

and infrastructure are considerable, concrete has

many environmental qualities to offer.

Committed to a socially responsible approach,

Lafarge today relies on its long experience of the

concrete business and on the numerous data,

research material and formulas worked up with-

in its Research Center to be able to develop the

uses of a product perfectly in phase with its time

and respectful both of man and the environment.

The material for sustainable

construction

Veritable liquid stone, a mixture of natural sub-

stances extracted from the earth, concrete is

par excellencea natural and sustainable mate-

rial and is entirely recyclable. In comparison with

other building materials, its CO2 and energy foot-

prints are extremely favorable (intrinsic footprint

per kg). As the Earth is covered in limestone,

concrete is a material that is available everywhere.

This represents an advantage in the context of

Obvious for some and a surprise for others: concrete is green!In addition to its astonishing mechanical properties, this natural materialhas many environmental qualities which make it an irreplaceable product

for construction in the 21st century.

c

Concrete,agreenmaterial!

COMPARATIVETABLE OFMATERIALS

Energy consumption

by kilogram of material

produced (in mega joules)

Steel: 43MJ/kg

Wood: 27 MJ/kg

Brick: 3MJ/kg

Concrete: < 1 MJ/kg

CO2 emissions

by ton of material produced

Steel: 1 to 2 tons

Brick: < 1 ton

Concrete: < 0.1 tons

Wood: 1 ton

Source: WBCSD.

DR

MdiathqueLafarge

RESPECENVIROACTIONSCOMMIT

Founded in

always atte

growth with

environmen

of resources

quarries, re

emissions,

developmen

prevention o

The Groups

to respond

innovative w

construction

The law courts in Pontmade with Agilia conPontoise, France, desigHenri-Edouard Cirian

The village of Lam Kruafter the tsunami,December 2004, Indon

MdiathqueLafarge-ricTourneret-Henri-douardCiriani(Architecte)


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CR ESCEN D O SPEC I AL ED I T I O N | L A F A R G E | O C T O BE 8 | L A F A R GE | O C T O B E R 2 0 0 8 | CR ESCEN D O SPEC I AL ED I T I O N

An irreplaceable material for construction, concreteprovides a wealth of possibilities to meet the challengesof the present and those to come.

Concrete, at the heart of

sustainable constructiononcrete has all the advantages to respond to the current challenges of

sustainable construction, whereby the solutions developed must both

satisfy the demand and the needs, as well as reducing the impact on the

planet. Relying on its long experience in the concrete business and on a

strategy of innovation with considerably increased resources, Lafarge stays

a step ahead of the competition in terms of knowledge and understanding

of materials to be able to propose solutions adapted to the challenges of

our time.

Reinforcing the energy efficiency of buildings

The socially responsible approach which Lafarge has adopted towards

changing the way concrete is used is part and parcel of a more global

vision for the building industry. Eighty-five per cent of a buildings total

energy consumption, throughout its life cycle, takes place during its usage

phase. This is therefore the aspect which must be addressed with deter-

mination and efficiency. Concrete's exceptional thermal inertia properties

enable it to absorb heat during the day, store it and give it back at night,

making for substantial savings in terms of heating and air conditioning. In

addition, as concrete is a highly resistant and perfectly airtight material, it

can easily be used with other materials to provide optimum insulation,

whilst offering numerous solutions for limiting greenhouse gas emissions

resulting from the daily use of the building. In terms of town planning,

concrete enables compact buildings, for denser and more environmentally-

friendly towns. Indeed, the heating cost per unit of volume in a single one-

floor house is some 30% greater than that of a residence in a four-floor

building. In high-risk areas, concrete's resistance properties enable archi-

tects to design buildings which are highly resistant to natural disasters

c

(flooding, hurricanes, earthquakes). Finally, setting aside stereotypes of

dull, monochrome gray, concrete today lends itself to all possible forms,

colors and surfaces, thus conferring a strong identity on urban buildings.

A wealth of possibilities

In this context, all the new concretes designed and developed by Lafarge

represent so many answers to the issues confronting construction on our

planet. The future for concrete is huge, reassures Jacques Lukasik, scien-

tific director of Lafarge and a member of the French Acadmie des Technolo-

gies. By seeking to identify and understand the physical, chemical and

physical-chemical phenomena underlying the way concrete behaves,

research into materials has made vast progress. A traditional construction

product, often still looked upon as a simple commodity, concrete is

becoming a high-tech material whose complexity is still yielding up its

secrets, from concrete floor tiles to ready-to-use self-leveling and self-

positioning concretes Its potential is still largely untapped, it will become

THE high-tech material of the 21st century and its performance can only

stimulate the imagination of architects, at the origin of all creativity

in construction.

M

diathqueLafarge-IgnusGerber

SUSTAINACONSTRUA GLOBA

We are fully

alone isnt en

necessary ch

Bruno Lafont

Lafarge. The

for Sustainab

(WBCSD) init

Group is a fo

together more

committed to

development.

of the WBCS

launched the

in Buildings

whose object

the vision of

buildings con

energy as the

Fort Osage Education Center,a highly energy-efficient buildingusing Agilia and fly ash, KansasCity, Missouri, United States.


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he most extraordinary architectural inventions are born out of meetings

between industrial expertise and the builders vision. Utterly convinced of

this truth, Lafarge works with architects from all over the world in order to

bring its expertise and experience to bear on ambitious architectural

projects and to listen to their expectations and dreams in order to feed its

policy of innovation. Going beyond simple technical or commercial

relationships between manufacturer and builder, Lafarge works with the

designers and decision-makers, thus enabling them to imagine, from the

design phase of a project onwards, ever more innovative and daring uses

for its materials. This cooperation has been bearing fruit for many years.

For the architects, by giving them new solutions that free their creativity and

invite them to go beyond the arbitrary limits of the doable. For Lafarge,

by offering the Group the opportunity to try out its innovative products

originating from research and to be able to listen to the architects expec-

tations. Revolutionary solutions, which change construction methods and

modify the way in which space is conceived, organized and shared, often

emerge from this cooperation.

Tailor-made solutions

At the heart of this approach, Lopold Lombard, architects relations

director at Lafarge, is in at the birth of the projects. I am there to enable

the architects to go as far as possible in terms of innovation and to find

tailor-made solutions to their most challenging plans with the support of the

teams of Group engineers and Research & Development department.

This partnership also enriches the thinking and the discussion around the

new challenges facing urbanization in several regions of the world, thus

contributing to drawing up the contours of our environment and our t owns

of tomorrow. With the Hypergreen ecology tower concept, for example,

the architect Jacques Ferrier and Lafarge took on the issue of the growing

For more than 15 years Lafarge has built closepartner relationships with architects.

This exchange of culture and expertise allows for the expandingareas of innovation within the field of construction.

A matter of architecture

t

CR ESCEN D O SPEC I AL ED I T I O N | L A F A R G E | O C T O B

density of towns that have access to limited energy resources due to the

battle against climate change. Hypergreen, by making use of an unheard

of combination of solutions to deliver energy savings, created a precedent

and inspired many other achievements. For Lafarge intends to be

associated with the most visionary architectural projects. Its a self-

imposed obligation that also extends to our own internal choices for the

construction of our sites and facilities, points out Lopold Lombard. For

this reason, Lafarge called on the services of the firm of architects Moatti

and Rivire to rethink its concrete plants and to give them a new identity,

more in harmony with their environment.

Achievements that defy the laws of the genre

The exchanges with architects broke entirely new ground. This is how

Rudy Ricciotti achieved a world first with the ultra-thin Ductal roof of the

Villa Navarra. In the United States, a high-tech work saw the light of day

in 2006, driven by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in associa-

tion with the MIT: the first ever highway bridge prefabricate using Ductal ,

the Mars Hill Bridge was built in only 24 hours, with an ultra-resistant

material having a reduced ecological footprint Intimately linked to the

challenge to town planning and sustainable development, architectural

creativity is subject to constantly changing aesthetic criteria and construc-

tion methods. For Lafarge, cooperation with architects creates a precious

source of exchanges, which allows it to adapt its materials to the constraints

and the needs of construction today.

AND NOT FORGETTHE YOUNG

In its policy of support for

Lafarge does not forget th

By increasing partnership

including the University o

United States, it intends

to the emergence of new t

the Group has organized

young architects to meet

or to discover, during sho

Center at LIsle-dAbeau.

Lafarge supports and man

in several countries aroun

for example the one open

of European Schools of A

by the Ion Mincu Univers

and Town Planning in Bu

or the one concerning sus

open to students in South

Dominique Marrec (right) in the company of Lopold Lombard (left),architects relations director at Lafarge, on the RATP Bus Centerbuilding site in Thiais, France.

B

enotFougeirol


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E 1 4 | L A F A R GE | O C T O B E R 2 0 0 8 | C R E S C E N D O S P E C I A L E D I T I O N

E MATTER I THE MATERIAL I THE FEAT

t the very beginning provocative might have

been a word used to describe the work of my

office. We established a reputation among

clients for delivering solutions that reinvented

the program, for having our own ideas and

interpretations that werent tied to the form of

an institution. We never take a brief literally but

instead try to interpret the purpose of an insti-

tution. It is not only the form of a building that

interests us. We are also interested in the ways

in which a new organization of the life of a

building can be applied. Contemporary urban

life is becoming ever more complex, with

diverse, overlapping audiences who have

multiple, simultaneous demands. The task

today is to order and articulate this complexity

in ways that maintain legibility and orientation.

Going beyond the conventional

applications of materials

At a time when computer-aided architecture is

prevalent, my work takes the fluid dynamism

of the sketching hand as a literal option. The

current architectural scene is one where many

streams of investigation are needed. It is essen-

tial to find key collaborators to work on these

discoveries and push them into the main-

stream. The choice of specific materials for an

architectural object follows the formal

approach. In a design environment which is

dominated by new software that enables us to

rethink form and space radically, it is always a

challenge to find materials that match our

computer-generated complex shapes and

spatial conditions. We aim for an expansion of

a materials performance and try not to think

within the limits that are given to a certain

material by conventional applications.

I like to work a lot with curvilinearity because I

believe it simplifies the configuration visually,

and you can then cope with more complexity

without crowding or cluttering the visual scene,

and I am interested in developing techniques

for doing that in concrete. I like concrete a lot

because it is a very fluid and continuous

Zaha Hadidchallenges materials

Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureate in 2004,Zaha Hadid believes in an architecture capableof rethinking form and space by using materials

in an unconventional way.

C

ourtesyofZahaHadidArchitect

material. Recently we have also been working

with other materials, but our basic experience

is concrete. In our work on complex, dynamic

and fluid spaces, the Phaeno Science Center

in Wolfsburg, Germany, is our most ambitious

project thus far. The visitor is faced with a

degree of strangeness: the floors are not piled

above each other, and the mass is supported

by funnel-shaped cones protruding into it and

extending from it. Apart from these architec-

tural aspects, this is the largest building

constructed from self-compacting concrete to

date in Europe. Without this new type of con-

crete, the buildings diverse forms its jagged

angles, looming curves, fractured planes and

daring protrusions would have been difficult

to achieve.

The Phaeno ScienceCenter in Wolfsburg, Germany.

a

ZAHA HADID

Zaha Hadid,in Baghdad,

studied in Be

and then in S

Britain at the

Association b

up a practice

Her masterw

the Vitra Fire

in Weil am R

the Hoenhei

terminus (20

Strasbourg,

Bergisel ski j

in Innsbruck

the Rosentha

Contemporar

in Cincinnat

States. More

she worked o

Science Cen

in Wolfsburg

the BMW Ce

(2005) in Le

In 2004, she

the first wom

of the Pritzke

Prize, the moaward in arc

Niemeyer used all the possibleadvantages of concrete, itsfluidity, its thinness, as I dowith Ductal, an ultra-strong,

malleable concrete.Air France Magazine, December 2007


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C R E S C E N D O S P E C I A L E D I T I O N | L A F A R G E | O C T O B

THE MATTER I THE MATERIAL

monolithic block with rounded, almost polished, edges, the RATP bus

center administrative complex in Thiais, south of Paris, rises up from

the surrounding roads and parking area as an extremely graphic focal

point. No doubt it could be seen as one, but the way the building

grows out of the surrounding environment of the bus center was not

an esthetic choice, explain the architects. In an unbroken context

of hard materials, a patchwork of concrete and asphalt, it projects

like a stamped-out part that extends the concrete surface of the bus

parking area. The building appears to have been pressed out of its

surrounding context.

The effect is obtained by applying large self-colored and textured

Ductal panels over a wide strip of asphalt surrounding the building,

extending the buses maneuvering area. They are bent into forms that

curve in both directions, then spread over the shell of the composite

program to give the whole a strong, strikingly sober homogeneity

imparted by the hard material. The resulting building is dense, inert,

blind, enigmatic, like the hull of a Russian submarine skimming

through the waters of Murmansk

By making the structural characteristics of Ductal resonate with its

plastic qualities, the use of this ultra high-performance fiber concrete

has made it possible to blend the dizzying building and base into

Marrec & CombarelRadical modesty and

a passion for concrete

Far removed from the god-like architects who dreamof leaving their indelible imprint on a town, EmmanuelCombarel and Dominique Marrec see themselves as mediatorsfor buildings invariably characterized by a temporal,social and cultural context that produces habits that arereflexes and therefore always need to be rethought.For the same reasons, the choice of the materials thatcompose them should always be clearly planned in advance.The most recent example is the RATP bus centeradministrative complex in Thiais, near Paris.

a

B

enotFougeirol-ECDMA

gency-Em

manuelCombarelandDominiqueMarrec(Architects)-RATP(Projectowner)


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Glazed expanses

(blue, yellow, orange,

green) made of

external colored glass,

treated with silvered

dots to make them

more reflective.

B

enotFougeirol-ECDMA

gency-Emm

anuelCombarelandDominiqueMarrec(Architects)-RATP(Projectowner)

a single, coherent unit. Physical, conceptual and plastic

homogeneity displays an interplay of textures facilitated by the flexi-

bility of the material and its capacity for precision casting. In this way,

the quality of the Ductal finish and its evenness have contributed to

a precise, continuous and perfectly adjusted cladding of the returns.

The 3-cm thick skin displays a uniform texture of Lego-like studs that

stick out from the surface (24 mm in diameter and 7 mm in height,

spaced at 12-mm intervals).

Apertures appear as negative volumes carved out of the Ductal shell

with a Stanley knife. The SSG (structural sealant glazing) windows are

tinted blue, yellow, orange and green, and are partially silvered to

make them highly reflective. This was a considered choice by thearchitects: These colorized surgical incisions artistically echo the

basic primary colors of the flashy curtain walls of the corporate

headquarters, office buildings and commercial frontages in the

surrounding business park and shopping mall. It is a striking way of

redefining glazing materials that are dated and heavy with connota-

tion. Echoing the mechanics of the buildings hard materials, it sweeps

away the connotation of concrete as a tough material. Enough to

give you goosebumps.

DOMINIQU

EMMANUE

Dominique graduated frSpciale dAin Paris in 1Combarel grthe Paris-VilArchitecture

In 1993, aftAlbums de lArchitectureDominique Emmanuel Ca newly-formarchitecturaset up the E

They have aprojects to t

1996: ECDMMdicis Hors

2003: Nomquerre dAr(student apaArgenteuil, FHabitat)

2005: Roof Sarcelles for regional auth

2006: Publiapartment pParis, France

2007: Bus cadministrativat Thiais for operator, RAT

2007: Tomi Illustration mStrasbourg, FStrasbourg lo

2008: Publiof 64 apartmParis for the

2008: Publiof apartmentSeine, FrancHabitat

2009: Officebusinesses inConfluence,

RATP, THIAIS(VAL-DE-MARNE),

In spring 2007, the Paris transport

operator RATP moved into its new bus

center in Thiais, south of Paris.

RATP is one of the worlds largest

urban transport companies and

a technology pioneer. It is only natural

that RATPs buildings should reflect

the companys image,

says Rmi Feredj, Real Estate

Manager for RATP. The Thiais

building certainly does this. It helps

improve the sites urban landscape.

It is the pride of the hundreds

of people who work there

and represents a sign of belonging

and an emblem for our brand.


11/27

E 20 | L A F A R GE | O C T O B E R 2 0 0 8 | CRESCENDO SPECIAL EDITION


RUDY RICCIOTT

ROMAIN RICCIO

MOULOUD BEH

P

hilippeRuault

n exceptional work, both aesthetically and for

its technical complexity, Villa Navarra looks like

a long, furtive silhouette set on the very rock,

simply laid bare. And it is around this notion

of minimal aesthetics, so dear to Rudy

Ricciotti, that the discussion begins.

Rudy Ricciotti : Our intention was to limit

the villas impact on the site by blending it into

the slope, without backfill, following a logic

of unobtrusiveness. The outcome of this logic

is its ultra-thin Ductal roof. Can you remind us

of its size, Romain?

Romain Ricciotti : 40 meters long,

with a 7.86-meter cantilever and edges

3 centimeters thick.

Mouloud Behloul : In terms of concrete,

thats a sheet of paper! Ductal is an ultra-high

performance fiber concrete, which allows us to

break away from passive structures.

It opens the way to a huge reduction in

material and great creative freedom in forms,

which, in this case, are curved, feminine.

Romain Ricciotti : These forms were

dictated by external restrictions, such as the

width of the trucks used to transport materials.

But also by the resolute demand for optimum

mechanical yield, similar to that of steel

structures. This structural roof only works

in flexion, with a warp of 4 millimeters

as a result of temperature variations, which

is completely new. It has no incorporated

waterproofing or insulation.

Mouloud Behloul : Here, the material

is used in its purest expression. Its specific

nature neither metal, nor wood, nor glass,

and not really concrete forced us to re-ask

The structuralevolution

of Villa Navarra

La Villa Navarra opens a new era in materials. Its roof inDuctal concrete is a world first, the hybrid fruit of theboldness and expertise of Rudy Ricciotti, architect andlaureate of the National Architecture Grand Prix 2006,

Romain Ricciotti, structural engineer, and Mouloud Behloul,Lafarge concrete engineer. They meet up for a round table to

talk about this building.

a

A HOUSE-GA

> Enrico Navaassociated wit

Basquiat, since

of his art deale

He has just clo

art gallery dow

to make the Vi

its exceptional

enigmatic gall

via a virtual vi

> Ductal is uperformance c

by Lafarge: its

eight times gr

of convention

and it contain

that make it d

While it enable

never before s

concrete work

resistant to be

It can undergo

transformation

or dilation, fo

breaking and i

to hostile exte

such as abrasi

weather and s

all those questions that reinforced concrete

engineers hardly ever ask these days and to

re-invent design and manufacturing methods.

So, at the pouring stage, we had to calculate

and check the direction of the fibers,

because these change the mechanical

properties of the concrete.

Rudy Ricciotti : What we are talking about

here is the very core of our work, which, in my

opinion, is all about a choreography of efforts:

an exceptional material, used in nuclear power

stations, poured in aluminum moulds similar

to the moulds used in the aeronautics industry,

but employed with the traditional, even

archaic, skills of craftsmen.

Romain Ricciotti : You mention

a choreography of efforts Its worth

pointing out that the successive revolutions

initiated by concrete have always come

about through committed collaboration

between architects and engineers.

Mouloud Behloul : As I see it, the Navarra

project is the fruit of reflection on the structural

properties of Ductal concrete. It probably

marks the beginning of new beliefs and new

practices concerning structures.

Rudy Ricciotti : And Im fairly optimistic

about the chances of seeing the use

of this exceptional material becoming very

widespread.


12/27

E 22 | L A F A R GE | O C T O B E R 2 0 0 8 | CRESCENDO SPECIAL EDITION


LE CORBUS

CONCRETE

> Acknowledthe modern amovement, Lboth self-tautalented. Notand town plaa writer, poet

sculptor. Butand urban plhad the mostbeliever in simfunctionalityon a human sin master plaharmony wit

space, greenefascinated byLe Corbusier75 masterpiearound the wcarefully pre

> 40 years afdeath, the coof the churchfrom now onskies of FirmFrance. The 1space of the taccommodat

of modern ar

Property of S

Metropole / FProject mana

Le Corbusiers church

s finally topped out

It has taken over 30 years to complete the church of Saint-Pierre,designed by Le Corbusier as part of Firminy-Vert,

an architectural complex near the city of St Etienne, in eastern France.Finally embellished by a huge concrete cone, the architects

posthumous work was inaugurated in September 2006.

n embryonic building, derelict for three decades, has suddenly

become a major monument that is part of the marvel of the Firminy

church, French architect Jean-Louis Cohen tells Crescendo. The

structure, begun in 1973 and halted through lack of funds, was

completed in 2006 and the audacious masterplan of Le Corbusier

has now been brought to life in the Firminy development. Far from

standing on its own, the structure blends into an urban ensemble

designed by the architect. Apartment blocks, swimming pool, sports

arena and cultural center seem to have been patiently waiting for their

companion piece to arrive. Behind the project from the outset, archi-

tect Jos Oubrerie, once a junior in Le Corbusiers office, is now

directing the project. The construction encountered multiple technical

and financial obstacles. The unfinished edifice was listed as a building

of historic interest in 1996, which probably contributed to the decision

to go ahead with its final completion in 2004, with principal funding

from the St Etienne Metropolitan authority. The challenge was turning

a religious building into a cultural one, and getting Le Corbusiers

original project to meet current safety standards, using the latest

technical innovations, remarks Cohen. The building is gentler and

less brutal than Le Corbusier probably imagined it. Lafarge played

a role in the renovation of the standing concrete, and supplied

AgiliaFormes and AgiliaVertical, both products formulated from very

high-strength Lafarge cement, for the conical roof shell. Particularly

suitable for complex forms, the fluidity and self-compacting proper-

ties of Agilia meant the 400 m3 of concrete required for the external

shell could be poured easily. An operation that would have been more

problematic in Le Corbusiers day!

a

E

ricTourneret


13/27

the emotion

the senses

the dream

FXFOWLEs design forthe Sheikh Rashid binSaeed Crossing in Dubai.


14/27


E EMOTION I THE DREAM I THE SENSES

love creating architecture for music, spaces where

two of our realms of perception hearing and sight

can freely converse and respond. Space affords

us this blessing. The emotion of music lies in the

discovery and gradual entry into a different world,

a world that reveals itself in time.

I also understand space as a phenomenon that one

grasps over time, through movement, with its expec-

tations, its surprises, its concatenations. When sound

and light fill this marvelous void existing in the midst

of solid structures, then space and music are mutu-

ally revealed.

I long believed that music had a much greater

emotional power than architecture. I now believe

that space has an emotional power over people that

is just as strong. Our lives are inextricably linked to

the numerous places that inhabit our memories,

shape our present or cast us into the future the

house we grew up in, our schools, gardens, the

apartment we live in today, the places we lived

before If we broaden the notion of architecture

to encompass space and our environment, archi-

tecture is the story of our lives. Places obviously

have an emotional power, to the same degree as

music. But music is more like a burn, a sharply felt

moment, whereas our relation to space is day-to-

day and calm.

When I was asked to do the new Philharmonic

building in Luxembourg, before visiting the site,

I studied photos of the area and felt that the public

should be guided to the future building through an

initiation zone, a circle of tall trees that one would

have to cross to enter the realm of music. But once

on the site, I saw that we didnt have enough space

to plant trees. Thats when I got the idea of replacing

the ring of trees with a light-filtering faade, one that

was neither opaque nor transparent, forming an

envelope of light in which the auditorium would be

the central core. The rhythm of these parallel shafts

set in several elliptical rows became both mathe-

matical and musical.

At the heart of this colonnade of light lies the grand

CHRISTIAN PORTZAMPA

Born in 194Casablanca, Christian de studied at thBeaux Arts iFrom simplethe urban reis a foundinghis work dommajor lines: buildings (ofto music andgatherings), as in the MaRive Gaucheand sculpturas the LVMHManhattan,N

Based in Parstructures arAmong otherChristian de was awardedPritzker Prizthe Urban PPrize in 20030 Year Arcin Almre in

He is an honof the AmeriArchitects anArtistic Crethe College dFebruary 200

This internationally renowned architect has always givenmusic great importance in his work. Today, he is working

on projects that are particularly demandingin terms of acoustics.

ChristiandePortzamparcOffice/JrgHejkal

iThe Philharmonic Hall in Luxembourg, by architect Christian

de Portzamparc: inside view of the light-filtering faade.

auditorium. An auditorium is a musical instrument

of uncommon size and, one could also say, an instru-

ment of space. Audiences at the Philharmonic

inhabit the walls of the auditorium, seated in multi-

level lodges of concrete and wood ar ound the stage,

creating the atmosphere of a public square at night

surrounded by buildings. Here, I wanted the musi-

cians and the public to relate to each other, to be

close, to feel a sense of grandeur and intimacy.

I wanted to free the imagination. As always, I worked

with acoustics expert Xu Ya Ying. I love the contrast

between the bright, snowy impression of the colon-

nade and the shade of the hall. The wall between

them is a prismatic cliff, etched with acoustic fault

lines that play on color. Expanding on the idea of

colored niches designed 20 years ago for the La

Villette auditorium in Paris, the Luxembourg Phil-

harmonics broad fault lines achieve a chromatic

subtlety that is altogether different, their geometry

breaking down the colors across a height of

20 meters.

Finally, the chamber music hall is set in a leaf that

unfurls from the ground and rises against the colon-

nade. This interior shell is based on another exper-

iment, stemming from our work on the Moebius

strip for the Nara competition in Japan in 1993. This

leaf plays with the filtered light from the outside,

masking it diagonally, and this game of contrast

between opaque and transparent upholds the unity

of the project.

Places obviouslyhave anemotional power,o the same

degree as music.

Dreamsof musical architecture

Christian de Portzamparc


15/27

C R E S C E N D O S P E C I A L E D I T I O N | L A F A RGE | OC T OB

THE EMOTION I THE DREAM

UDY RICCIOTTI

orn in Algiers, Algerian 1952, Rudy Ricciotti is

n architect. His agency

based in Bandol,

n the south of France.

n iconoclast, he is known

or a diverse array of projects,

g. the Museum of European

nd Mediterranean

ivilizations, the Potsdam

ymphony Concert Hall,

he new Palace of Festivals

n Venice, the National

horeographic Center

n Aix-en-Provence, the Villa

avarra in Muy and

he new wing of the Louvre

n Paris dedicated to Islamic

rts. His unique approach

n applying building

materials, especially his

ork with concrete,

as led him to collaborate

ften with Lafarge.

For Rudy Ricciotti, materials evoke past experiences,encounters and childhood emotions, bringing fortha desire to share, to touch, to invent a world where

both sensitivity and sensuality have their place.

Rudy Ricciottismaterial dreams

Concrete

be sublimIt can alsoinspire fea

R

udyRicciottiArchitect

Computer image of the

MUCEM project in

Marseilles, France.

Architect: Rudy Ricciotti.

ou have to start with materials and look at them from

a romantic point of view. When I was about 10 years

old, there was no school on Thursdays, and I would

go to the construction sites where my Italian father,

working as a foreman, built low-income housing.

I remember wearing plastic sandals, stepping in

the freshly poured concrete On Fridays, my father

would meet with the masons, metal workers and

carpenters, one by one, to give them their pay. It

was a microcosm of the Mediterranean, and he

knew them all. Discussions were frank, sometimes

heated. The masons were tough. To me they were

magicians.

Thats where I learned to love the people who work

with raw materials, real matter. It was a mans

universe, gung-ho and rugged, but also fraternalas

a child I looked upon the masons with hammers

hanging from their belts as if they were gladiators.

When it comes to materials, theres no segrega-

tion along class lines. In the building industry its

the same: there are simply people and their skills,

trades and businesses. As an architect, Im part

of the family: I love being with engineers, craftsmen

and mates. I didnt learn my trade at architectureschool; I learned it from the people in the building

industry. I owe them everything.

Concrete can be sublime. It can also inspire fear.

In intercity zones, it reflects hopelessness. It becomes

sublime in great engineering works, in dams and

bridges, and in certain contemporary architectural

masterpieces such as Le Corbusiers Ronchamp

church, or the CNIT building in Paris La Defense

where sensible projects take surreal flight.

To do this job, you have to accept that not everyone

will like what you do particularly the contractor,

who is often anxious to cut costs. I fight against

cheap hardware, plastic, aluminum, ugliness

My buildings work. The contractors are forgotten,

but the memory of the craftsmen lingers on. This

is how the tradition of skilled craftsmen is perpet-

uated, and Im very proud of that. I dont use prod-

ucts that fail to meet ethical standards. Thats my

traditional, conservative side. Im a European archi-

tect and patriot. In todays environment, you also

have to push for innovation if you want to defend

a qualified workforce.

y Today, with ultra-high-perfoconcrete, we are about to etrial adventure. Architects adown the runway, ready f

have total confidence in the

sional skills of mechanics

on the verge of switching

engines. The Footbridge o

130 meters, yet its platform

centimeters for a static end-g

The concrete melds into a

With the Museum of Europ

Civilizations in Marseilles

present a different kind of

at the foot of the Saint-Je

offers an absolute minera

say it reminds them of fine

Orientalism. While it can be

is nothing about the struct

rative. Like a fish skeleton

Were moving towards a d

concrete structure, which

gossamer, intricately forme

coral rock. Nobody knows

is taking us. We can reinv


16/27

C R E S C E N D O S P E C I A L E D I T I O N | L A F A R G E | O C T O B E R

How did you see the relationshipbetween the architecture of the buildingand its educational purpose?

Frdric Borel: The impact of architecture

on learning is significant. I thus set out to cre-

ate a welcoming, relaxing place that is con-

ducive to using the imagination, a place

where students feel comfortable and can give

the best of themselves. The building is a flex-

ible and changing tool which should not be

fixed. It operates differently at different

times: certain parts have set opening times

while others are accessible day and night,

particularly the workshops. I included active

and open spaces, a c afeteria, an auditorium

and exhibition rooms designed to welcome

students as well as local residents.

Can the schools architecture be usedas an architecture teaching aid?

F.B.: In my opinion, architecture should not

convey rigid values so this building should

not be used as an example in any way. It is

meant to be educational and can be broken

down according to teaching needs. The build-

ing draws attention to its structure, some-

times through the load-bearing walls and

other times through the framework. It uses

an extensive range of materials and specific

implementations.

How did this take concrete shapein your project?

F.B.: Paradoxically, a good building should

be able to express itself in a few words at the

same time as being indescribable. Here, there

is a platform housing thand supporting the w

amphitheatres clinging

are also paths which off

of contradictory views

and of the building itse

people experience d

through the various way

the space, showing them

or new colors. Several e

ducted to obtain dif

concrete. Molded, polish

was used to achieve rou

faces. There is an infinit

al and sensory experie

contemplation to gidd

excitement.

So architecture is chanits teaching and workp

F.B.:Teaching has chan

on charismatic character

innate knowledge, and

of teachers holding discu

These new teaching met

partly due to the increa

is a real data bank and de

has supplanted paper

workshop has changed t

new uses and practices

comfortable, functional

lit and able to accomm

group work, allowing pe

and interact with one ot

What role does the building really have in teaching studentsto be architects? To find out, we interviewed

Frdric Borel, architect of the new National Schoolof Architecture in Paris-Val de Seine, France.

THE EMOTION I THE DREAM

Architectureshould notconvey rigidvalues.

Architecture,a multi-sensory journey

RDRIC BOREL

rdric Borel opened upn agency three years afterbtaining a degree fromhe cole SpcialeArchitecture in 1982.e built several apartmentuildings in Paris, thenumerous public buildings,amely the Faculty ofciencein Agen and thew courts in Narbonne.e sees therole of anrchitect as carrying outork that no computeran do, as each project isforward-looking personal

nterpretation requiring

highly global approach.

The new coleNationale SuprieuredArchitecturede Paris-Val de Seine(National Schoolof Architecture) is a newbuilding in a formerfactory.

Frdric Borel

F

rdriicBorel


17/27


hen I first came to Marseilles I found a city that

was incredibly strong I still havent got over it.

I discovered the poetry of certain places that

people have made their own, such as the urban

landscapes and waterfronts that film directors

are so fond of. In Marseilles, you dont have to

work under the weight of a suffocating archi-

tectural tradition. There are not many heritage

sites, for instance. This means that there is room

for imagination and poetry, which suits me

perfectly.

What interests me most is the idea of projects

as vectors for encounters an encounter

between owner, property development and site,

but also an encounter with the history of the

place, the way the site is used and the dream-

like vision that arises out of the architecture and

its context. The arrival of a building on a plot of

land is far from innocent; it radically alters a

balance that has been consolidated with time.

Frequently the project is seen as an invader.

I take great care over issues like this, which appear

vital to me. The architectural response touches

upon the intimate landscape of the memory.

A project reveals the actual geographical and

social dimensions of the site. Its something that

always goes beyond the program assigned to

it! This overflow makes it a player within the

city it brings a dynamic to the context of which

it forms a part, and adds some constructive crit-

icism in the form of a new perspective on the

city. The Cosec Ruffi gymnasium was finished

in 1999 and is a good example of my approach.

It is located in a fairly chaotic area behind the

Marseilles Docks, set between grain silos,

housing developments and warehouses. It forms

part of the long-term Euro-Mditerrane devel-opment project. I was anxious not to seem to

be the clean-up squad for this cheerful chaos

that makes the area so interesting. It was not

just a question of building a gym to be used by

a sports club and local schools. We opted to

open up the playing fields to the streets making

a lively space located between a disused church

and the covered gym. On Sunday, children come

there to play soccer.

I decided to use concrete. The aim was to regen-

erate and to improve, and it is a very common

material, but is not appreciated by residents.

The treatment I chose was in contrast to a

smooth, architectural concrete, and is an evoca-

tion of the poetic assembly of ad hoc materials

people use to build shanties, which are found

all around here. As far as I was concerned, the

use of materials is part of the research of the

architectural project. It is part of the design of

the fabrication, structure and skin of the building.

I like to avoid showy technical features in favor

of a low-key application, entirely without super-

fluous elements, so that the material can express

itself, and I particularly favor unfinished mate-

rials such as concrete and steel. So the concrete

of the Cosec Ruffi gymnasium is not just a

construction product, it is the very skin of the

building. In another context, for a teaching

college at Seyne-sur-Mer, in the South of France,

I used a highly carpentered timber skin. It is a

reminder of the sites past as a shipyard. Mate-

rials talk, and they cling to ideas.

RMY MARC

Rmy Marcia

in Villeneuve

south of Par

A graduate i

and town pla

he opened h

in Marseilles

The Ruffi gy

won him inte

recognition,

continued to

He has recen

a control cen

facility for th

transport aut

and in 2008

a performanc

in Sophia-An

premises for

Port Authorit

Rmy Marcia

to say that th

projects, onlmatter.

When architect Rmy Marcianodesigns a building, he weaves it aroundthe strands of its inhabitants historyand geography.

w

E EMOTION I THE DREAM I THE SENSES

The Cosec Ruffi gymnasium

in Marseilles, France,

a gathering place and

a force in the life

of the neighborhood in

its own right.

Rmy Marcianobuilds tomorrows memories

R

myMarcianoArchitect


18/27

Tomorrows world

the thinking

the vision

Hypergreen Tower,

designed by Jacques Ferrier


19/27


TOMORROWS WORLD I THE THINKING I

Faced with demographic growth, urban development, and globalwarming, many specialists are advocating energy-efficientand dense modern cities, spreading upwards. Architects are nowinventing comfortable and pleasant sustainable or eco-towerswith the potential offered by groundbreaking techniques andmaterials. And the towers are getting taller.

The One ExchangeSquare in Hong Kong

is a group of three,52-storey buildings

interlinkedby gardens.

a

P

hotononstop

ll worldwide population figures are on the rise. The number of people

on the planet is increasing and will reach 7.9 billion by 2025, compared

to 6.4 billion today. More than two out of three inhabitants will live in

the worlds cities. China alone will have to build over 400 new cities by

then to absorb its soaring rural exodus. Space is limited and land is

expensive. Most large cities, from So Paulo to Sydney, including Dubai,

Shanghai or Bangkok, are looking upwards. With more than 7,000

buildings higher than 152 meters, Hong Kong held the record for the

city with the most skyscrapers in the world in 2005, ahead of New York

or Tokyo. For many urban planners, high-density development is the

key to countering the threat of global warming and declining natural

resources and this involves building new, even taller towers. Because

these towers use up less land, green and agricultural areas can be

maintained, thus promoting biodiversity; permeable soil areas can also

be spared and traffic congestion can be better controlled. In the new

part of the Russian city of Yekaterinburg, for example, building upwards

has helped to preserve surrounding forest areas and even bring the

forest into the city. With very energy-efficient design, these new

skyscrapers can also significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

In Pariss La Dfense business district, the Generali Tower, to be

completed by 2012, will boast half-opaque, half-transparent faades

to better control heat input, as well as natural ventilation, solar sensors,

wind turbines on the roof, and outside gardens on each floor. Its neigh-

boring Phare or Lighthouse Tower will be equipped with a double

skin on the south side and a transparent faade on the north side to

maximize energy efficiency, in addition to a rainwater recovery system.

Progress from all sides

Engineering has progressed so much over the last few years that some

real technical feats are now possible. Some of these include devel-

The skys the limitfor todays towers


20/27

ALAIN SARFATI

> Architect of the FrenchEmbassy in Beijing, China, and

the Panache Tower project at

Pariss La Dfense, Alain Sarfatiruns Area, a multidisciplinary

agency instrumental in the

construction of several new

towns in the 1970s. Area was

behind the building of the

National Archive Center for the

World of Work in Roubaix

(1993), the National Theatre in

Toulouses city center (1998)

and the Bel Air area in Saint-

Germain-en-Laye.

C R E S C E N D O S P E C I A L E D I T I O N | L A F A R G E | O C T O BE 3 8 | L A F A R GE | O C T O B E R 2 0 0 8 | C R E S C E N D O S P E C I A L E D I T I O N

Alain Sarfatis project for theEmperor Tower.

La Dfenses future Lighthouse Towerdesigned by Thom Mayne.

D

R

opment of interlacing outside frames; load-bearing lattices; super

er columns or reinforced concrete pillars; the use of pendulum-

counterweights to reduce building oscillation; and groupings of thin

-rise buildngs. New materials have also been developed, including

-sensitive glass or ultra-high performance concretes. They offer

recedented curving potential, comments architect Alain Sarfati,

gner of the curvy Panache Tower project in La Dfense. These

elopments are wings allowing architects to fly even higher. Like giant

arets, dominating Kuala Lumpurs skyline, the 452-meter Petronas

n Towers used to be the highest buildings on record. Then last

ruary, they were outdone by Burj Dubai in the United Arab Emirates,

ding at a colossal 604.9 meters. But this is only the tip of the

er Indeed, the developers hope to build it up to 800 meters. But

s a mere trifle compared to the Bionic Tower project, a 1,228-meter

C

orbis

THOM MAYNE

> Winner of the PritzkerArchitecture Prize in 2005,

Thom Mayne created

the Morphosis agency and theSouthern California Institute

of Architecture. Designer

of the head office of BMW

in Munich, he is currently

building the Lighthouse Tower

in Pariss La Dfense and

working on other projects such

as the Design Center in Taipei,

China, the Sun Tower in South

Korea and the Olympic Village

in New York.

rocket, basking in artificial lakes and gardens, in Shanghai, or the

2,000-meter-high set of 55 stacked pyramids, brainchild of architect

Shimizu in Tokyo.

Fascinating or off-putting?

As fascinating as they may be, these buildings are not to everyones

taste. While the Financial Center in Taipei or the pagoda-shaped Jin

Mao Tower in Shanghai fit naturally into the local backdrop, other

designs have been less convincing. Symbols of power, tower blocks

were not really intended to be well-designed urban furniture for

everyones benefit. The upshot is that the isolated blocks are more

costly, with higher charges and do not address high-density objectives.

The land use coefficient is only 1.5 at La Dfense, but three for Paris

and eight for Chicago! comments Alain Sarfati. He goes on to explain

S.

Area/Sarfati

S

IPA

that the 19th century left us two major, but incompatible revolutions:

Horizontal speed, by train and car, which promoted urban sprawl, and

vertical speed in elevators, a factor which contributed to the develop-

ment of high-rise buildings. In some large cities, the problem is that no

choice was made between the two phenomena, he said. So many

people opted to live on the outskirts of cities in poorly situated tower

blocks, with insufficient service networks, ultimately leading to the rejec-

tion of this type of building. Towns to live in are needed, welcoming all

members of society, with powerful public transport networks and

spacious gardens. In short, a real social project. But positive changes

are also afoot in this area. Thom Maynes Phare Building at La

Dfense is designed to blend in with its environment. Rather than an

isolated and independent building, we sought to develop a hybrid struc-

ture generating smooth transit through underground areas... up to

MORROWS WORLD I THE THINKING I THE VISION

horizontal public areas which then become ve

wealth of cultural and commercial experiences,

By revisiting the functional mix of offices, accom

leisure and better designing the buildings, the

higher quality of life. The colossal Burj Dubai and

are cities in a tower. Accommodation, offices, sho

The entire urban fabric can be contained in

with roads replaced by floors to create space

several levels.


21/27

C R E S C E N D O S P E C I A L E D I T I O N | L A F A R G E | O C T O BE 4 0 | L A F A R GE | O C T O B R E 2 0 0 8 | C R E S C E N D O H O R S - S R I E

Hypergreen,the tower building t

captures the sunligh

Architect Jacques Ferrier and Lafarge have createdHypergreen, a tower building concept that fully respects

the environment. Designed for mega-citieswith rampant demographics, Hypergreen

generates a large part of the energy necessaryto cover its own needs.

jacques Ferrier brought the project to life in hisoffice, in Paris 13th arrondissement where heworks surrounded by models and screens

showing CIG images and 3-D maps.

At the heart of building

materials lies meaning

Since 2001, talented engineer and architect

Jacques Ferrier has employed a research team

fully dedicated to sustainable development

issues: Architecture in the twenty-first century

can have no other focus t han the environment.

We must work to diminish the overall impact

of buildings. Jacques Ferrier draws on existing

material, which acquires meaning as it is used

in the buildings he designs. He was bound

to link up with Lafarge. A shared environmentalawareness directed the creation of Hypergreen,

an exemplary concept of sustainable develop-

ment for the worlds mega-cities. Since 2006,

for the first time in the history of mankind,

half the planet is living in an urban area.

New-generation high-rises must meet the

requirements of highly populated cities and

rampant pollution.

Hypergreen is a new architectural approach

that is truly focused on sustainable develop-

ment issues. Positioned to better capture the

sunlight, Hypergreen has turned tower build-

ings into tools of sustainable urban develop-

ment that are not only additions to a city but

also genuine improvements.

A high-value partnership

The project started by Lafarge and Jacques

Ferrier in late 2004 has involved many

technical exchanges among the architects

teams, the industrial Groups engineers and

consultants specialized in environmental

issues. Presented at an architecture sympo-

sium in Shanghai, China, in December 2005

and at the MIPIM fair in France in March 2006,

Hypergreen has elicited a great deal of interest.

A choice of innovative material

Positioned to capitalize on its orientation, theHypergreen Tower draws on climate

engineering breakthroughs and makes the

best of building techniques and components.

As a result, it is thrifty, safe and recyclable.

Lafarges innovative material, such as the ultra-

high performance Ductal concrete used for

the grid skin faade, helps save energy and

adds to the building's flexibility.

J

acquesFerrierArchitects


22/27



y 2030, 70% of the population will live in cities. Global-scale urban

development is an indication of the way our societies are changing.

It highlights both cultural particularities and problems that are common

to all modern metropolises.

According to well-known geographer and researcher Cynthia Ghorra-

Gobin: Globalization has led to the emergence of a two-speed

metropolization on a global scale. Southern countries are seeing their

cities grow on a dangerous scale and their rapid expansion does not

benefit from the economic drive of globalization, she says.

According to Djamel Klouche, architect and urban planner: One single

cause globalization has radically different effects. Towns are still

marked by their cultural heritage. The co-founder of the architecture

and urban planning agency AUC contrasts the gigantic scale of Chinese

urban projects, followers of the tabula rasa, with Vietnamese urbaniza-

tion, which favors the juxtaposition of small initiatives. Furthermore,

compact European urbanity, which makes a basic distinction between

town and non-town, is a stark contrast to the Japanese view of urbanity

linked to nature, as illustrated by Tokaido, an indeterminate urban

spread encompassing Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka which includes towns

and areas of countryside. Making something old into something extra -

ordinary is what Djamel Klouche is promoting in Europe by developing

the concept of urban planning with recycling. Town expansion has

had its day, he explains. Urban changes are now taking place using

what is already built. His standpoint? Focus on recycling to provide

a model for new uses.

Managing

urban growth

2007: the balance tipped! For the first time in history,half of the worlds population now live in towns and cities.And the trend is increasing. We take a look at the city of thefuture with the help of geographer Cynthia Ghorra-Gobinand urban planner Djamel Klouche.

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The extended and fragmented city

ays towns are growing. Individual houses have multiplied the worlds

anized area by four. Changes that are just starting to occur will

reverse the trend of the phenomenal extension of towns or the

es of urban populations that are growing every day by some

,000 people!

Cynthia Ghorra-Gobin notes: The 20th century underwent major

an changes: a spreading out accompanied by a loss of centrality

the emergency of polynuclear cities, organized around access

ts for express transport. Indeed, the extended city now raises the

e of mobility. Temporal proximity is now just as important as spatial

imity, meaning that urban planning is increasingly concerned with

ucing isolation. The issue of accessibility is thus behind the creation

rge urban areas made up of several towns, such as the conurba-

s of Ruhr in Germany or Randstad Holland in the Netherlands.

the inhabitants are not necessarily equal when it comes to

essing this fluidity. Certain poor urban populations are now

gned to land, points out the geographer. A town is more than its

elopments and buildings, it also defines human groups. According

umerous analysts, whichever way they develop, by extension

ongestion, there is always a risk of representing social divisions

ugh geographical segregation.

social fragmentation of urban areas is expressed by the appear-

e of urban ghettos and bunker neighborhoods, but also by

gmentation of the residential market housing for retired people,

ents or businesspeople in need of temporary accommodation.

hed to the extreme, this leads to the establishment of gated commu-

s. A product of the need for security and a sense of belonging, the

nomenon is increasing in the United States where nearly three

on homes in 20,000 private towns have opted for this segregating

up.

Manhattan landscape.Anarchical or mappedout, how cities develop

is telling of the localculture.

Towards a more moderate managem

Furthermore, the impact of cities in terms of use

footprint and plundering of natural resources is o

Towns occupy just 2% of the earths surface

quarters of resources and account for 80% o

In response to this situation, 300 American tow

apply the Kyoto Protocol and 27 European urba

signed a Charter on Sustainable European Citie

the main joint actions. Several recent projects,

eco-city in China, aspire to become a yardstick f

New human-scale urban planning

Making the global city sustainable is what suppor

urbanism are proposing. The city will be denser,

trians, favor neotraditional architecture, provi

spaces, foster neighborhood relationships and

residential areas. New urbanism is based mainl

space is a rare commodity that must be optimize

This way of thinking is relatively new on the vast N

nent. It rethinks the configuration of housing

on public spaces. Since the middle of the 20th

opment has been characterized by no concep

spaces, apart from in historic quarters, points

The enormously increased and deregulated co

accompanied by a move away from planning the

development. For the last ten to fifteen years we

logic. The new urban utopia has taken shape in

received a lot of media coverage such as Playa V

Seaside in Florida.

The political challenges of the town

According to Cynthia Ghorra-Gobin, tomorrows

creating metropolitics: a democratic system at th

olis, its labor market area and travel network. W

from the idea of competition between towns mak

olises, she believes. They behave like competing

to devise a new citizenship, on the scale of the

disciplinary approach to urban phenomena is e

planner cannot address the issues the city face

development, social segregation, etc.), conclu

He can only play a part in it. The urban planners

account the opinions of the inhabitants and be

process which will require institutional innovatio

Accordingo numerous analysts,he greatest danger

our towns faces not dispersal

but segregation.

DJAMEL KLOUCHE AND

CYNTHIA GHORRA-GOBIN

> Architect and urban plannerDjamel Klouche is studying

the constraints of constructing

and reconstructing a town using

the existing town: urban

recycling. He set up the AUC

agency in Paris with Caroline

Poulin and Franois Decoster.

> Geographer Cynthia Ghorra-Gobin, research director

at CNRS and professor at the

IEP de Paris and the Sorbonne,

is analyzing the globalization

of the world economy and

its effect upon urban spaces.

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he vast spurt of economic growth over the last

two centuries has been based on burning fossil

fuels. This is not sustainable, as it leads to an

increase in carbon dioxide and other green-

house gases in the atmosphere, which in turn

causes climate change. This is why we must

transition to a low-carbon model. But what does

this have to do with buildings? A very great

deal Buildings, through their construction,

their use, and their demolition, represent

40% of world energy demand. This demand

splits roughly one-third from commercial and

two-thirds from residential buildings. The

challenge is growing. With a business-as-usual

scenario, worldwide energy consumption in

buildings is expected to grow 45% from 2002

to 2050 and to increase as a proportion of all

energy consumed.

A four-step process

Embarking several companies in this challenge,

Lafarge has committed to the Energy Efficiency

in Buildings (EEB) project under the umbrella

of the WBCSD. The main aim of the project is

to map out a transition to a 2050 world where

buildings use zero net energy. The basic idea

behind zero net energy is that the energy

consumed by a building is equal to or lesser

than the energy it produces. It is easy to state

the goal but hard to get there. Such a profound

change can only be built on a thorough and

detailed understanding of the complex factors

that determine energy use in buildings. So EEB

has set out a four-step process. First, gather

key facts and trends; then identify what needs

to change; develop a roadmap, and finally in

2009 deliver a call for action to achieve a world

where buildings consume zero net energy.

Throughout its work EEB is actively engaging

all stakeholders, seeking ideas and opinions,

using market research to understand the

barriers to zero net energy and how to overcome

them. In August 2007 EEB published EEB:

Business Realities and Opportunities. What was

particularly striking in the study was that 84%

of energy use in the life cycle of a building

comes from its use and 16% from all other

phases: manufacturing the building materials,

construction, maintenance or demolition.

Clearly, increased energy efficiency at any stage

in the life cycle is welcome but the biggest gains

are available from use. The study concludes:

Technology available today can achieve

dramatic improvements in energy efficiency,

but market failures and behavioural barriers are

blocking progress. The cost of green build-

ings, for example, is vastly overestimated. Now

EEB is pursuing its efforts and is drafting a

preliminary roadmap action plan setting out

how the challenges may be solved.

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The French Pavilion forthe Shanghai Exhibition in2010. Designed by thearchitect Jacques Ferrier,its insulation and utilitysystems reduce energyconsumption andtherefore CO2emissions.Its envelope is made ofhigh-performanceconcrete.

Objective:zero net energy

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Through chairing the Energy Efficiency in Buildings project, Lafarge shows it wants to play a

leading role in securing the goal of zero net energy in buildings. This is an ambitious goal that

involves the whole construction chain from the regulator to the end-user, and requires profound

behavioral changes. Both a challenge and an opportunity for the future.

J

acquesFerrierArchitects

MORROWS WORLD I THE THINKING I THE VISION

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nnovation has to be one of the drivers of our

strategy, says Bruno Lafont, Chairman and

CEO of Lafarge. We want to put even more

distance between ourselves and the compe-

tition by exploiting our ability to launch new

products on the market with added value for

our customers and that offer new possibilities

to architects.

The innovative products developed by

Lafarge thus help advance reflection into

issues relating to town planning, sustainable

development and civil engineering. Moreover,

these new materials offer better working

conditions in the construction industry, via

productivity gains and a reduction in ambient

pollution and excessively strenuous tasks.

A perfectible material

Composed of aggregates (ground rock) and

sand, to which is added a little cement and

water to bind the mixture, concrete relies on a

simple recipe, but the infinite number of

possible formulations influence its properties.

A profound knowledge of the interactions

between components thus enables the creation

of innovationAt the cutting edge

of products with unique characteristics. To lead

the research effort into matter, in 1887 Lafarge

set up a Laboratory, which was then the first such

laboratory in the world and is now the worlds

leading center in the field of building materials.

This center, transferred to LIsle-dAbeau (Rhone,

France) in 1990, houses over 200 researchers

of some 15 different nationalities, with high-

tech facilities enabling tests to be carried out in

actual conditions. Elsewhere, the Group has

established numerous partnerships in the

scientific field with universities from all over the

world, as well as with other industrial groups

wishing to pool their resources in terms of

generating new and deeper knowledge on

concrete.

Multiple advantages

The development of innovative products

revolves around several major objectives,

essentially dedicated to respect for the environ-

ment. Reduction in the quantity of raw

materials, absence of metal reinforcing New

concretes provide undeniable advantages

when it comes to reducing CO2 emissions

resulting from construction work. ExtensiaTM

allows, for example, for the making of floors

thinner than a traditional slab and requiring less

than half of the raw materials. The same

applies to Ductal, which emits half the CO2 in

relation to a standard solution. These new

concretes also offer greater ease of use, enabling

productivity gains and the easing of working

conditions on site. Thus, Agilia, a self-positioning

and self-leveling concrete, requires no vibra-

tion; ExtensiaTM allows for making large surface

area slabs with drying time reduced by half;

finally, ChronoliaTM divides the dismantling of

formwork by three, which allows work to progress

considerably faster. So many breakthroughs

that are revolutionizing life on the building site.

Through the development of new properties,

these concretes lend themselves to unique

uses, unimaginable even a few years ago. It is

the case with Ductal, whose resistance to

stress, comparable to that of steel, made the

construction of the Peace Bridge in Seoul

possible, a bridge only three centimeters thick

for a span of 120 meters! The finished appear-

ance of the materials, thanks to a much thinner

texture, is also improved. The Artevia range of

concretes comes in a wide variety of colors and

surface finishes for outdoor design. So for the

Group innovation constitutes a long-term

approach, which enables it to expand the

applications for its products and to provide

answers to the challenge set by sustainable

development.

i

ricTourneret-Doyelle(Architecte)-CharlesLavigne(Architecte)-YannKersal(Concepteurlumire)

Putting innovation at the heart of itsstrategy, Lafarge is a pioneer in the

design of new materials. Its highperformance concretes open up new

architectural perspectives and arechanging construction methods.


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New generationconcretes

At the cutting edge of research and innovation,ultra-high performance concretes are a concentrateof high-tech. Born out of the considerable progress

in materials research, these products, by providing newpossibilities, enrich the thinking about the town,

sustainable construction and infrastructure.

EXTENSIATM

Designed for large industrial or commercial surfaces, ExtensiaTM has the

advantage of low shrinkage and remarkable fluidity. Its formulation allows for the

pouring of large surface area slabs with reduced numbers of joints, going up

to 400 m2 with no joint, as opposed to 25 m2 for a standard concrete,

thus reducing the risks of cracks and maintenance costs. Its high resistance

to compression and traction allows for the designing of thin slabs and the

creation of floors adapted to multiple final uses. On building sites ExtensiaTM

presents another advantage: time. No prior reinforcing is necessary and drying

time is twice as fast as that of a traditional concrete. The small quantities

of raw materials needed (thinner slab and no metal reinforcing or fibers) also

contributes to significantly reducing CO2 emissions during production.

CHRONOLIATM

A real technological breakthrough,

whose main challenge was time

savings, ChronoliaTM is the answer to

a basic imperative in the building

industry: setting times. With ultra-

rapid setting, the formwork for this

material can be removed after

only four hours instead of the twelve

to twenty hours normally needed.

Its fluid consistency allows for

transportation and usage for up to

two hours without affecting its

handling qualities. The time savings

enable the doubling of daily

formwork operations and so lead

to considerable gains in productivity.

This also implies significant

cost savings and diminished use

of equipment, which has an impact on

the duration of the building work.

Test site for the innovativeconcrete ChronoliaTM,Nice, France.1. Pouring a beam.2. Resistance testing.

Central Research Laboratory,technological center, pouringof the innovative concrete ExtensiaTM,LIsle-dAbeau, France.

AGILIA

Agilia is the first self-positioning and

self-leveling concrete in the world.

Needing no vibration, its use

reduces noise pollution and eases

working conditions on site. Its fluidity

guarantees high filling quality for

formwork and vertical elements, as

well as perfect smoothness for slabs.

The fine texture of this material also

gives an exceptional finished

appearance. All these properties

allow for quicker implementation

and, therefore, cost savings and

improved productivity. The

robustness of Agilia concrete is

perfectly well adapted to the pouring

of coping, slabs and floors, as well as

to works with complex shapes.

ARTEVIA

A range of decorative concretes for

outdoor use, Artevia offers durable

design solutions with many

advantages. These concretes are

easily adaptable to complex shapes;

they are easy to maintain and are

rapidly installed. Their resistance to

wear and tear allows for highly

durable installations. The range

is made up of several products with

different surface finishes. Artevia

Empreinte can be used for surfaces

with varied motifs such as flag stones

or pavements. Artevia Relief

produces the effect of material,

thanks to the impression of relief

given to the aggregates. Artevia

Roche, Poli and Sable concretes offer

three decorative finishes that imitate

the texture of other materials. Finally,

Artevia Color is a stained concrete,

available in a wide

Documents

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