Origami Building by Manuelle Gautrand

Hosting the new French headquarters of Barclays, this office structure's façade consists of one glass skin and another of screen-printed 'marble'.

This office building stands on avenue Friedland, in the immediate vicinity of the Arc de Triomphe and Place de l'Etoile, in a luxurious Parisian neighborhood. The project was implemented in two parts: the main building on a 20 meter-wide stripe on the avenue, and an extension in the rear, between two courtyard gardens. At the ground floor level, the lobby plays on transparency between the street front and the main garden. The building in the rear of the lot is more private, and it is there that the cafeteria and meeting rooms are laid out, with garden space on both sides.

The unusual location of the site led Manuelle Gautrand Architecture to design a project that would embrace and take advantage of the view and immerse into the natural light. An emblematic showcase of the building—the main façade is mostly glass, partially covered with a second skin of screen-printed marble pattern. The rendered effect is a tremendous origami and the view of this delicate folded marble can be enjoyed both from exterior and interior of the building.

Origami Building by Manuelle Gautrand Architecture. Photo by Vincent Fillon.

The panels are composite, a film of marble mounted on a twin layer of glass. The symmetrical panels that are folded and assembled by two form an "open-book" pattern and thus highlight the design of the veins of the marble. This second skin is translucent and acts as a breast wall to ensure privacy as well as filter daylight, creating a soft interior atmosphere.

Skin maquette of Origami Building by Manuelle Gautrand Architecture. Photo by Vincent Fillon.

Manuelle Gautrand Architecture's initial idea was the use of a "real" marble. However, the firm finally opted for a screen-printed marble pattern that offers numerous advantages:
- The color and the design may be perfectly controlled, especially in comparison with neighboring buildings whose stone colors have been modified or renovated.
- The precise position of the veins of the marble was achieved through a perfectly cut framework layouts in order to create an assemblage of an "open book" folds that remind a historical tradition of marble stone-works.

The durability of the screen-printed glass is much more assured than that of the marble, which if cut into very thin blades runs the risk of 'decrystallization.'

- A range of different types of graphics and colors of marble was created on the façade. In addition to the relief that was created with the elements, we wanted to set up three types of marble screen-print. The first, the most "heavy" one in the center features two veins with the dominating beige color; whereas the other two are gradually spread towards the extremities of the façade, they are lighter and less veined. The objective was to seek the precise colors of the adjacent buildings, and especially the ones of the beautiful Haussmann building situated to the right.
- Finally, the durability of the screen-printed glass is much more assured than that of the marble, which if cut into very thin blades runs the risk of "decrystallization".

The marble folds create a vibrating pattern along the 30 meter-long front. At both ends, in continuity with the façades of neighboring buildings, the origami becomes calmer and flattens out. But in the central part it forms a delicate bas-relief.

The project then develops into the depth of the site with the same objective of clarity while adding a strong presents of plants. The offices roofed with large lawns weave around the two courtyard gardens. The lobby functions as a meeting point of these two atmospheres—the urban and sophisticated of the main façade, and the more private and verdant of the other side of the building. The interior spaces were designed in a contemporary spirit, highlighting the luminous atmosphere with light-colored and soft materials.

The construction consists of beam-column system for the street façade, load-bearing system for the back façades and everything in reinforced concrete was laid in progress or pre-slabs/wide-spin beams. The attic and roof in a steel-frame structure and steel trough.

Interior view of Origami Building by Manuelle Gautrand Architecture. Photo by Vincent Fillon.

The courtyard façads are made of concrete poured on site. At the moment of concrete pouring a crosspiece pattern was placed in the bottom of the form in order to achieve a thin and graphic texture. Everything was covered with a holographic glaze which creates a particularly strong and colorful effect in the interior courtyard.

The roofs can be considered to be the 5th façade because they are visible from other roofs of the project and from the roofs of the adjacent buildings. They are all either garden roofs or landscaped with mineral materials and therefore accessible. The roof terraces are covered with stripes of wood (acacia) and offer relaxation spaces with great views on the Arc de Triomphe and Eiffel Tower.

Origami Building, Paris
Architects: Manuelle Gautrand Architecture. Manuelle Gautrand, principal architect; Yves Tougard, architect project manager
Client: Gecina (investor). Client's Representative: Kaufman & Broad Development
Structure: Khephren
Main structure: Colas
Curtain wall façades and exterior joinery: Schüco
Double-skin, screen-printed glass and marble façades: Simetal
Surface: 5.800 sqm
Construction:2008–2010
Completion: 2011

Origami Building by Manuelle Gautrand

Hosting the new French headquarters of Barclays, this office structure's façade consists of one glass skin and another of screen-printed 'marble'.

Latest on News

Latest on Domus