FALSE_TWINS

A F I --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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A F I - Eric DUFOUR architect - 9 avenue de Taillebourg 75 011 PARIS - T. + 33 (0)1 43 72 23 66 - E : [email protected]

CONCEPTION OF SPECIAL 'ETFE' ROOFS

FOR A COMMERCIAL MALL IN TOURS

- 'FALSE TWINS' PROJECT -

PRESENTATION NOTE

www.aficonsulting.com

A F I - 'FALSE TWINS' PROJECT - Version 1

2/13

CONTENTS

I. NOVUM DESIGN EXCELLENCE AWARD............................................... 3

II. CONCEPT & DESIGN OF THE ROOF PROJECT ................................... 4

1. GENEALOGY OF THE PROJECT ..............................................................................4

2. DESCRIPTION OF THE ROOF PROJECT .................................................................5

3. DESIGN PROCESS SPECIFICATIONS ......................................................................6

4. DESIGN ATTITUDE STATEMENT..............................................................................7

5. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE EASTERN ROOF .......................................................8

6. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE WESTERN ROOF.....................................................10

III. PHOTOGRAPHIC PLATES..................................................................... 12

1. VIEWS OF THE EASTERN ETFE ROOF ..................................................................12

2. VIEWS OF THE WESTERN ETFE ROOF .................................................................13


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I. NOVUM DESIGN EXCELLENCE AWARD The multinational group NOVUM STRUCTURES LLC proceeds every year to a selection of projects constructed throughout the world and awards a prize to the architectural designer who most creatively utilized the technologies of enclosure systems in solving design challenges. AFI team headed by Eric DUFOUR received the "NOVUM DESIGN EXCELLENCE AWARD 2009" in the "Membrane Clad Structural" category for the conception work realised on the roof project of the Commercial Center "l'Heure Tranquille" constructed in the city of Tours (France). The result of the 2009 session was announced officially by the headoffice of the NOVUM group at the beginning of 2010, featuring AFI as winner along with the american agencies HOK and PELLI CLARKE PELLI selected in the "Specialty Clad Structure" category.


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II. CONCEPT & DESIGN OF THE ROOF PROJECT

1. GENEALOGY OF THE PROJECT

Freehand axonometric view showing the roof concept in the beginning of the process (February 2006) _ Doc AFI

The project process started by the beginning of year 2006 when AFI (conceptor) was hired by APSYS (investor and developer) to elaborate the architectural design and the technical conception of the 2 transparent roofs to be built on top of the malls of the new commercial center in Tours whose construction had already started at that time.

The conception phase driven by AFI proceeded by testing successively multiple solutions at the client's request until the final configuration was approved at start of 2008 for the call for tenders.

The construction phase driven by NOVUM (contractor) was completed by the end of May 2009, the conformity of built works with AFI drawings attesting to successfull completion of the project.

Axonometric view of the roof showing the design as optimized during the call for tenders (February 2008) _ Doc AFI


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2. DESCRIPTION OF THE ROOF PROJECT

2.1. Formal concept _ 2 animal figures facing each other

AFI design consists in 2 animal figures revealed in the project as 2 ' False Twins' facing each other : each one of them forming the transparent roof of a commercial mall, constructed with ETFE membrane cladding fixed on light weight steel structure. According to this figurative interpretation of the project, each figure can be split into 3 basic elements : first extremity as the head, central part as the body, and second extremity as the tail.

Planimetric view of the project showing the Western roof facing the Eastern roof around the central piazza _ Doc AFI

2.2. Experiencing the confrontation of the 2 figures

The energy of AFI design results from the formal and emotional dialogue emerging from the confrontation of the 2 figures : by experiencing the walk through one mall or the other, the visitor will be able to feel a quite singular atmosphere due to the differentiated configurations of the 2 roofs. More homogeneous and symmetrical for the Eastern roof, meanwhile non-homogeneous and asymmetrical for the Western roof, those 2 variations provide a specific spatial dynamic to each mall, thus offering 2 complementary experiences to the visitor from one mall to the other.


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3. DESIGN PROCESS SPECIFICATIONS

3.1. Shape typologies resulting from the 3D form-finding process

The form-finding process initiated by AFI at the start of the roof project resulted in generating 2 different shape typologies : an homogeneous shape in the eastern part based on symmetrical arches, and a non-homogeneous shape in the western part based on asymmetrical arches, the latter resulting from formal variations of the 2 alternated edge folds, allowing to resolve altimetric differences between the adjacent volumes without any interruption of the roof surface.

Western roof : nonhomogeneous & asymmetrical © AFI

Eastern roof : homogeneous & symmetrical © AFI

3.2. Primary design assumption _ fluidity & continuity of the shape

Each one of the 2 roofs is generated as a 3D free-form shape spreading from one extremity to the other of each mall as a continuous surface, the membrane cladding being supported by steel arches spanning from edge to edge across the mall. The primary assumption of AFI design was to enhance the fluidity and continuity of the roof surface for both expressive and functionnal reasons. On the expressive side, the roof project proposes a lyrical experience to the visitor who is invited to walk through each mall as 'inside the Whale', meanwhile on the functionnal side, the roof project offers a fully covered and protected area along each mall. The control of ambiances has been worked out so as to provide adequate comfort conditions for the visitors, thanks to daylight filtering and solar control principles (ie printing of the exterior membrane skin) and thanks to natural ventilation and thermal control features (ie longitudinal gills system allowing air circulation under the vaults).


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4. DESIGN ATTITUDE STATEMENT

Axonometric view of the project showing the Western roof facing the Eastern roof around the central piazza _ Doc AFI

AFI attitude in this roof project was inspired by the voluptuousness of the free-form shapes to be observed in Nature : the mineral reign, the vegetal reign and the animal reign guided our conceptual quest along the form-finding process, giving rise to both an expressive and a rational range of shapes susceptible to match the project constraints meanwhile gaining a strongly differentiated identity. Thus, our 'biomimetic design' process allowed to generate a distinctive concept recognizable in the end as 2 animal figures revealed in the project as 'False Twins' facing each other, the lyrical freestyle fluidity of the shapes responding to our primary motivation of aiming at 'architectural hedonism' in this project.


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5. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE EASTERN ROOF

5.1. Formal features of the roof covering the Eastern mall

© AFI

The Eastern ETFE membrane cladding is supported by a series of symmetrical light weight steel arches spanning from one edge to the other. The dynamic mouvement of the longitudinal veins reveals the fluidity of the roof skin, meanwhile enhancing the transparency of the central vault.

Birds eye view of the Eastern roof © AFI

Eastern roof : homogeneous & symmetrical © AFI


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5.2. Main spatial features of the Eastern roof

© AFI

The Eastern symmetrical vault follows the curved evolutive geometry of the mall, thus allowing the creation of a huge scale transparent dome in the center. Meanwhile, the dynamic movement of the longitudinal veins enhances the fluidity of the shape with a dilation effect in the central part.

Eastern roof : homogeneous and symmetrical © AFI

View at the entrance of the Eastern mall © AFI


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6. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE WESTERN ROOF

6.1. Formal features of the roof covering the Western mall

© AFI

The Western ETFE membrane cladding is supported by a series of asymetrical light weight steel arches spanning from one edge to the other. The dynamic mouvement of the longitudinal veins reveals the fluidity of the roof skin, meanwhile enhancing the morphology of the 2 folded edges.


Birds eye view of the Western roof © AFI


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6.2. Main spatial features of the Western roof

© AFI

The Western asymmetrical vault follows the curved evolutive geometry of the mall, resulting in the double twist of the shape alternatively on the 2 opposite edges . Meanwhile, the dynamic mouvement of the longitudinal veins enhances the fluidity of the shape along the 2 edge folds.

View at the entrance of the Western mall © AFI



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III. PHOTOGRAPHIC PLATES

1. VIEWS OF THE EASTERN ETFE ROOF

View of the atrium under the Eastern roof showing the evolutive configuration of the curved arches along the mall

Connection detail between 2 ETFE cushions

Structural connection along the edge


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2. VIEWS OF THE WESTERN ETFE ROOF

View of the atrium under the Western roof showing the evolutive configuration of the pointed arches along the mall

Exterior view at the angle of the pointed arches

Detail at the angle of the pointed arches

A F I 9 avenue de Taillebourg 75 011 PARIS

T. + 33 (0)1 43 72 23 66 E : [email protected] W : www.aficonsulting.com contact :

Eric DUFOUR architect M. + 33 (0)6 61 87 81 68

www.aficonsulting.com

FALSE_TWINS

Documents

roof project

project process

concept design

roof concept

false twins project

eastern roof

western roof

novum design excellence