Boulogne-Billancourt-France
Jakob+MacFarlane

Jakob + MacFarlane transforms an existing shed, erected for a factory complex, into the vibrant Renault Square Com communications center

	Photo © Jean-Marie Monthiers

By Philip Jodidio

Designed as a prototypical manufacturing building for the Renault automobile company, Métal 57 was nearly obsolete by the time it reached completion in 1984. Automotive technologies had not changed radically during the construction period, but major structural changes in the company had rendered the vast, brick-clad shed near Paris useless to Renault as a factory. So, Métal 57—intended for the fabrication of metal car parts—never operated as a plant, but idled as a warehouse and ad hoc location for car sales to firm employees. Over the years, the building stood at the center of various transformation proposals and even faced the threat of demolition. Then, nearly two decades later, the Parisian firm of Jakob + MacFarlane won a competition to turn the structure into Renault’s corporate communications center. This recently completed project has finally revved Métal 57 back to life.

In 2001, Renault held a competition to convert Métal 57 into a corporate communications center. The jury, including Claude Vasconi, selected Jakob + MacFarlane, best known for their Georges Restaurant [Record, September 2000, page 128] atop the Pompidou Center. Renault’s directors envisioned the center as a base for its public relations staff of 250 to 300 people, as well as a place to present new cars to the press and automobile industry leaders and to invite the firm’s marketing groups from around the world. It would be a venue for meetings, entertainment, dining, and other events showcasing Renault cars—complete with a garage housing the latest test-drive vehicles. The brief called for three auditoriums, seating 500, 300, and 100 people, respectively; 40,800 square feet of exhibition space; seven flexible seminar rooms; a pressroom; and offices—all in the vast shed. The entire ground level, including the auditorium stages, had to remain accessible to cars exhibited in the building, and the exterior had to stay essentially unchanged. The architects were later permitted, however, to add a glass wall at one end of the structure and a glazed atrium at the other, where their small upper-level footbridge connects the main building to the former employee cafeteria (now offices).

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the People Owner Renault Architect Jakob+MacFarlane 13 rue des petites écuries 75010 Paris Ph:33 (0)1 44 79 05 72 Fax: 33 (0)1 48 00 97 93 Architects: Jakob+MacFarlane Partners: Dominique Jakob, Brendan MacFarlane Chief of project: Patrice Gardera Project Team: Sébastien Gamelin, Christian Lahoude,Petra Maier, Jean-Jacques Hubert, Antoine Santiard,Antoine Lacoste, Andrei Svetzuk, Oliver Page,Eric Page Engineer(s) Structural: Setec www.setec.fr Air engineer: Inex Economy: Forgue Façade: RFR www.rfr.fr Consultant(s) Lighting: Isometrix Acoustical: Xu acoustics Scenographic: Labeyrie Photographer(s) Jean-Marie Monthiers, Nicolas Borel, Stephan Coutourier.

the Products Structural System Steel: Ateliers Bois Exterior Cladding Metal/glass curtain wall: Laubeuf www.laubeuf.com Concrete: Medecins du béton, Levau Wood: Marotte www.marotte.fr Doors Entrances: Malerba www.malerba.fr Sliding doors: Geze www.geze.com Hardware Locksets: D line www.dline.com Hinges: Dorma www.dorma.com Interior FInishes Cabinetwork and custom woodwork: Marotte www.marotte.fr Wall coverings: acoustics fabrics inside auditoriums by Texaa www.texaa.com Floor and wall tile: Eurosyntec Furnishings Auditorium seating: Quinette Gallay www.quinette.fr Lighting Sill www.sill-lighting.com Plumbing Toilets: Duravit www.duravit.com Sinks: design by Jakob+MacFarlane in Corian www.dupont.com Other: “cimaises” in aluminium honeycomb by Alcore Brigantine with a white resine www.mcgillcorp.com