Share to
Espaces Karrelex – Construction et aménagement intérieur
By : DMA architectes
GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN – 16th edition
Discipline : Architecture
Categories : Commercial Building / Low-Rise Office Building (< 5 storeys) : Bronze Certification
After purchasing a new property as part of the expansion of the existing Blainville industrial district, where the original Karrelex offices were already located, our team was entrusted with the design and construction of a two-story commercial office building for rental purposes.
The location selected for Karrelex’s new head office, as well as the client’s ambitions, opened up a world of possibilities in terms of creativity: a new industrial zone under full development of a brand new kind, refined and governed by numerous criteria established by the City of Blainville with regards to constructive quality, integration of greening, sustainable development considerations, as well as an analysis and integration of a sophisticated materiality.
The trend, when it comes to architecture in the context of an industrial zone, is often to optimize surface areas, to respect the functionality of the program, to rationalize the spaces dedicated to logistics and this, too often to the exclusion of a more global architectural vision that is clearly defined and relevant in a very specific context. This industrial type of architecture often gives a rather simplistic result, like a « sealed box », opaque and without any real connection to the urban environment.
Our concept is inspired by the interplay of heterogeneous volumes, the non-alignment and at times their overlapping, harmonizing with the characteristics of the site. The space freed by these shifts allows us to propose a spacious, luminous, warm entrance covered by a roof whose continuous materiality creates a link between the interior and exterior of the building. The latter has the effect of crowning and unifying the expansive public portions of the collaborative space through the various interior sub-sectors. This entrance is clad in a curtain wall covering a large portion of the front façade, forming an integral part of the common spaces and providing a unique access to the building.
The central area connected to the entrance reflects the concept of the global volume (interlocking, non-aligned and overlapping volumes). This space is designed for collaborative work and is therefore equipped with tables and chairs for group work, but also with café-lounge type high counters for individuals or small groups. It is a place of exchange and sharing between the various tenants as well as a flexible space that can accommodate occasional events. In addition, it also provides a communal pathway and socialization link between the various spaces, creating at the same time an indirect source of light to the interior suites.
These new headquarters are distinguished by the play of volumes, the unconventional concept for industrial settings and an inventive use of materiality as an opportunity for the interior design (open spaces delimited by changes in materials).
Collaboration
