Goyer launches renovation of the Tour Ariane’s façades at Paris-La Défense

The project involves removal of existing façades, recovery of the materials yielded by the deconstruction process and the creation of a new skin, representing 23,320 sq. m. of façade and more than 2,240 blocks. The work on deconstructing the existing and fitting new façades is going ahead while the building is occupied, so all the requisite measures have been taken to curb any disruption to people nearby and the tower’s occupants.

Tour Ariane was designed by architect Jean de Mailly and is one of the iconic buildings forming the business district’s skyline. It has a floor area of 64,500 sq. m. and 41 floors, with six infrastructure levels. The Nouvelle AOM architectural agency came up with the concept for the renovation. The renovated façade will give the skyscraper a new identity while preserving the distinctive features of its original architecture. It will also deliver the highest level of thermal and acoustic performance.

To meet the building owner’s goal of reducing the project’s carbon footprint, Goyer proposed recovering materials from the deconstruction process. The plan is to recycle a hundred tonnes of aluminium from existing thermal shields and 220 tonnes of glass from the windows. Doing so will reduce carbon emissions by a total of 800 tonnes. Options for reusing the materials have also been explored, and 220 aluminium shields will be used in an artistic display in the tower’s entrance hall.

The implementation studies have just begun. Following a prototyping phase to assess the most effective technical options and solutions, Goyer began preparing for the works by setting up platforms around the building. The removal of the existing façades began with the existing thermal shields being taken down, and fitting of the new skin will commence in September after the renovation of existing concrete.

Goyer has already been involved in a number of landmark projects at Paris-La Défense that have broken new technical and architectural ground, including several renovation projects such as the Grande Arche, the Landscape tower or the Latitude office building. In line with the approach taken by the Eiffage group, the company has put carbon footprint reductions at the forefront of its strategy. The search of solutions for recovering waste from the manufacturing process and façade removal are among the practical applications being pursued.