Several recent projects illustrate the company's ambitions to preserve and recover biodiversity. One example is the O'Mathurins residential programme in Bagneux, which is participating in the BiodiverCity Ready experiment, the BiodiverCity Life label for the current headquarters of BNP Paribas Real Estate in Issy les Moulineaux and, of course, Metal 57 (Boulogne-Billancourt), which has just been awarded the BiodiverCity Construction label at the high-performance level with the ABAB label. Here we take a look at this iconic heritage conversion by Dominique Perrault, which integrates the reception, management and enhancement of biodiversity from the design stage through to operation.
Metal 57: an innovative approach that reconciles life and construction
Following on from the actions already undertaken on the Issy-Les-Moulineaux site, the future headquarters of BNP Paribas Real Estate will restore the essential link between humans and nature in order to promote biodiversity and the well-being of the building's future occupants. In line with the BiodiverCity Construction label, Metal 57 has therefore integrated a highly ambitious biodiversity approach from the start of the project until its delivery.
From the design phase onwards, the major issues relating to biodiversity were taken into account. On this site of more than 10,000 m² located in the Trapèze district, the former workshops of the Renault factory (designed by Claude Vasconi) previously offered an exclusively mineral landscape. Their transformation will include a 135 m² public garden, nearly 350 m² of landscaped patios and nearly 2,500 m² of green roofing with mostly local varieties. The rooftop will house a vegetable garden as well as sanctuary areas laid out according to different plant strata, nesting boxes, pierced tree trunks, piles of wood or sandpits that will act as refuges for the small surrounding fauna.
In addition, specific devices have been put in place to reduce the risk of avian collision with the building's glass façades. The rooftop railing, for example, will be fitted with a special film that is visible to birds but virtually undetectable to the human eye.
The lighting has also been designed to minimise the impact on migratory birds, bats and certain insects: mini spotlights reflecting the light downwards, luminaires positioned only along pathways or on terraces, controlled lighting duration and non-reflective exterior flooring.
The construction site of the future BNP Paribas Real Estate headquarters also complies with a high level of requirements in order to ensure the prevention of air, water and soil pollution.
Our CSR commitments
As for the operating phase, which will begin when the BNP Paribas Real Estate teams move in during 2022, the main aim is to encourage contact with the flora and fauna, but also to share and promote a culture and know-how in terms of biodiversity. Everywhere, architectural elements will encourage contact between users and nature: access to the green spaces (and in particular to the vegetable garden) will be facilitated, there will be furniture that invites relaxation or informal meetings, materials that encourage biophilia, as well as signage that will present the ecological functions of the various spaces.
Finally, all stakeholders (operating team and employees of BNP Paribas Real Estate, external partners) are involved in the biodiversity initiative and in monitoring the objectives through events, dedicated communications (particularly concerning the label, ecological management of green spaces and awareness-raising), not forgetting the appointment of a qualified internal biodiversity referent.
Metal 57 has already established itself as the future showcase for all of BNP Paribas Real Estate's businesses and expertise and is intended to be emblematic of the company's ambition to design buildings that are virtuous, flexible, attractive and that place all living things at the very heart of its approach.
Press Release