Page 57 - Between light and shade

Light, transparency and reflection

(aligned strictly with the four cardinal points) of
the square building, on a 1.35 m grid.

Horizontal in the North and South (twelve
30 cm wide louvre slats for each 3.6 m high
floor) and vertical in the East and West (four
33.75 cm louvre slats for each 1.35 m module),
they are supported by a very delicate bead blasted
stainless steel structure, with a maintenance and
safety passageway that keeps them away from the
facade. Rods operated by small electric actuators
enable them to be moved.

These servomotors, driven by climate data
gathered on the roof (temperature, humidity,
atmospheric pressure, wind speed, luminosity,
cloud cover) control their orientation — inde-
pendently for each facade.

In the North and South, the top four louvre
slats on each floor are also controlled separately
from the eight lower ones, to create a light shelf.

Closed during hot weather and open in cold
but sunny weather, open when it is cloudy or
very windy, the louvre slats are in a state of slow
constant motion and create a dynamic interplay
of light and shade.

All the building’s glazing is “Clearvi-
sion” — of course. The envelope’s glazing, behind
the louvre slats, is equipped with the “vacuum”
coating offering the best balance of thermal insu-
lation (U= 1.0W/m² °K), light transmission (TL =
75 %) and color rendering index (CRI = 97 %).

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