The 11,888 m² parcel delivery platform built by Groupe Franc Architectures for Telamon - and sold to DWS in July 2024 - is part of the Haies Blanches logistics park in Le Coudray-Montceaux (91). The Breeam Very Good-certified facility is located on a 7.7-hectare site belonging to the owner, and includes a warehouse equipped with a parcel distribution process, and office space for 340 people.
"The decision to design a courier-type building for greater flexibility was dictated by the irregular shape of the land. It also enabled us to introduce maneuvering areas around a slimmer building, while meeting the standards required for this type of project. In this sense, the solution was perfectly suited to the constraints of the site," says Yann Daoudlarian, architect and president of Franc Architectures.
The visibility of the site from the A6 freeway reinforced the importance of integrating the building harmoniously into its surroundings. The aim was to create an "urban signal", playing with natural light both inside and out, and creating architecture visible from the freeway that was at once sober, sustainable and of high quality.
The "kinetic" architecture adopted for the offices provides a dynamic reading of the building from the freeway, reinforcing the idea of modularity and functionality. A double skin of perforated metal mesh, reminiscent of a moucharabieh, modulates natural light while ensuring visual comfort. The production hall, on the other hand, is more restrained, with a functional design in keeping with its purpose. Simple anthracite cladding, yet durable, with translucent polycarbonate panels to bring natural light inside.
This latest-generation building, now used by one of Europe's leading parcel delivery companies, GLS, as its largest courier service in France, was designed to be fully reversible. Eventually, it can be adapted to accommodate other users, and even transformed for business or industrial use, possibly with major mechanization, without requiring any major modifications. "Our agility as architects of industrial buildings of this type, among others, is to allow these immense Meccanoes to become different, or even, if they are delivered in white, to be adapted as the market demands," concludes Yann Daoudlarian.