Santé publique France
Santé publique France: health and wellbeing inspired by nature
Just outside Paris lies the Bois de Vincennes; a sprawling public park covered in trees and home to an arboretum and botanical garden. The new office of Santé publique France, the French national healthcare agency, was built on the edge of the park by architect studio Atelier du Pont.
The park provides the main source of inspiration, with the headquarter building constructed entirely out of wood, from the structure down to the interior. Affectionately nicknamed “Woody”, the building also makes extensive use of BAUX Acoustic Wood Wool to ensure acoustic harmony and as a sustainable visual feature.
Where did the inspiration come from?
The design team, led by founding partners Anne-Cécile Comar and Philippe Croisier, drew inspiration from a variety of sources; statistical motifs, graphic patterns, and a large monumental fresco in the main auditorium. Neutral shades of wood were used for the layout and structure, allowing the building to blend seamlessly with its arboreal surroundings. Red brick floors reference the soil and earth, while technical elements were painted plain black. Three colours were chosen from the BAUX Wood Wool range: natural, burgundy, and graphite.
Natural wood texture with an abstract linear design
BAUX Acoustic Wood Wool was primarily applied in meeting spaces and hallways, helping to reduce distracting noise and increasing the sense of calm and wellbeing. In one large chamber, BAUX Planks line the walls in a pattern that is both traditional and modern, combining natural wood texture with an abstract linear pattern. “Acoustic consideration is one of the clues to a well-designed environment, especially a workspace” says designer Anne-Cécile Comar. “The quality of BAUX is quite immediate… the final result is really very close to the simulations”.
We used BAUX products mainly in meeting rooms and hallways. Those spaces particularly need that we pay attention to the acoustic environment. You need to have a feeling of well-being calm or concentration. Acoustic is one of the clues of a well-designed environment even more when it’s working spaces. As a manufactured product, the quality of the in-site result of BAUX is quite immediate, which saves time.
Anne-Cécile Comar
Part of the future
Atelier du Pont is a leading architecture and interior design studio, operating out of Paris since 1997. With a particular focus on creative spaces that draw inspiration from their local geography, climate, and culture, the studio works on projects both large and small across the world.
Speaking on the potential for future uses of BAUX, Anne-Cécile says: “We are very interested in new products especially in terms of recycled and eco-friendly materials and their usability at the architectural scale. The dream BAUX project would be a soft, subtle and detailed project with a real environmental consciousness”.
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