L’échappée
‘‘L’échappée’ (or the ‘escapade’) stands for a place of meetings and exchanges, and a call to culture. A contemporary forum where both younger and older generations should feel at home. “L’échappée” of Herblay-sur-Seine embodies the simple paradox of a landmark building that seeks to blend into its environment.
It maintains a strong relationship with its topography. From the ground, the forecourt transforms into terraced steps, gradually becoming a structure. The construction changes as it rises, transitioning from a mineral base with massive stone (extracted from the quarry of Saint-Maximin located 30 km away) to a fine metal mesh, culminating in a landscaped roof. This gentle curtain cascading from the roof offers nuances depending on the glazed or opaque sections it covers.
The dynamic effect of this uplift is a call—an invitation to enter, to be entertained, informed, and share. The expansive interior volume consists of a completely open plan, providing maximum flexibility and adaptability for future uses.
The roof is built as a fifth facade. Completely green and free of technical elements, it integrates the building into the landscape, offering a qualitative and unobstructed view to the surrounding structures. In the manner of Haussmannian buildings, wood and stone come together and interlock to form a durable and high-quality construction principle.
CREDITS
The project stakeholders are as follows:
Project Owner: Herblay sur Seine
Lead Architect: Atelier WOA
Associate Architect: Atelier Angel Architecte
Designer: Studio Martial Marquet
Landscape Architects: Agence 22°
Structural Engineering Firm: Barthès Bois
Fluid/Thermal Engineering Firm: Pouget Consultants
Acoustic Engineering Firm: Résonance
Quantity Surveyor: Minerva
Wood Construction Company: Briand Bois Construction
Massive Stone Construction Company: Philippe d’Art
Concrete Structural Work Company: SNRB
