CONSTRUCTION

Green Aluminium Skin for New Euronews HQ

The French city of Lyon inaugurated an eye-catching landmark this past October, when the new headquarters for news channel Euronews officially opened for business.
November 30, 2015
Thanks to a distinctive aluminium skin by French artist Fabrice Hyber, the building reflects the color of Lyon's Saône River while offering a stark contrast to the city's historic center.
Designed by architects Jakob + MacFarlane in Paris, Euronews' accommodations now provide 10,000 square meters of office space for those inside and a stunning piece of architecture for the city's redeveloping Confluence neighborhood.

Though Euronews has been based in Lyon since launching in 1993, the agency needed a larger space to house its growing digital, mobile, and social media teams. The two "lightwells" that form the Euronews building's most distinctive feature are both practical components of the building's design and a symbolic reflection of its purpose.
Lyon Confluence

In the 1990's, the authorities in Lyon made the decision to completely remodel the 150 hectare industrial area of the city, spanning from the Perrache railway station to the confluence of the Rhone and Saone rivers, the previous location of the city's port. Named the Lyon Confluence, the project envisaged the transformation of obsolete docks into a modern and fashionable architectural space.
The first phase of reconstruction began in 2003 on a territory of 41 hectares, with the implementation of the second 35 hectare phase beginning in 2012.
The unorthodox openings burrow down from the roof through the sides of the headquarters, allowing fresh air to filter through to offices in the center and providing the facility's 800 employees balconies with riverside views. The shape of the two "eyes," meanwhile, speaks to the mission of those working inside: According to Jakob + MacFarlane, the team behind the building: "These atriums are imagined as two gigantic eyes looking onto the river and its environment. Symbolically, the eyes also represent those of Euronews, abstract receptors, capturing the events of the world around us."

Fabrice Hyber, who was responsible for the building's trademark green aluminium exterior, described his unique use of openings in the metal facade: "These are waves, like sound waves or diffusions. But also like those of water, or flux." Already known for the widespread use of green in his work, Hyber's decision to perforate the building's aluminium skin contributes to the availability of light, views, and fresh air Jakob + MacFarlane aimed for in designing the building's eye-like atria.
The atriums are imagined as two gigantic eyes looking onto the river and its environment
Fabrice Hyber, who was responsible for the building's trademark green aluminium exterior, described his unique use of openings in the metal facade: "These are waves, like sound waves or diffusions. But also like those of water, or flux." Already known for the widespread use of green in his work, Hyber's decision to perforate the building's aluminium skin contributes to the availability of light, views, and fresh air Jakob + MacFarlane aimed for in designing the building's eye-like atria.

[The unique use of openings in the metal facade] are waves, like sound waves or diffusions. But also like those of water, or flux.

Fabrice Hyber
Artist
Orange Cube, Lyon by Anthony V. @flickr
The Euronews building, while distinct, has a close cousin in the neighboring Groupe Cardinal or "Orange Cube" building, which features a similar perforated aluminium exterior and a major opening in the side of the structure.

According to the firm, the two buildings "are part of the same conceptual family, yet each exhibits a unique morphology."Each type of visual aid has pros and cons that must be evaluated to ensure it will be beneficial to the overall presentation. Before incorporating visual aids into speeches, the speaker should understand that if used incorrectly, the visual will not be an aid, but a distraction.

Turbulences Building, Orleans by Philips

Jakob + MacFarlane's reliance on aluminium to achieve creative architectural results is hardly limited to Lyon. Another of the firm's well-known creations is the "Turbulences" building in Orleans, which uses aluminium panels for its exterior and even adds LED lights to brighten the building at night. While aluminium'suse in construction is well-documented, architects around the world are increasingly seeing aluminium as a flexible (and highly recyclable) palette for artistic expression.