Caserne de Bonne, A bioclimatic shopping centre in Grenoble, France

October 30, 2010 Category: Commercial Building, Retail

Was designed by Groupe-6, Caserne de Bonne, A bioclimatic shopping centre, that located in Grenoble, France, The site, located between the city centre and the ‘Grands Boulevards’, was sold to the city in 1990 in order to develop a model green ZAC (concerted development urban area) with high environmental quality (HQE), partialy funded by the European program Concerto. In 2005, Groupe-6 won the competition for the design and construction of 16,643 sq m of shopping space, a student hall of residence and a carpark which should open to the public in 2010.

A naturally ventilated mall – no heating, no air-conditionning – with well insulated external façades and an internal envelope that encourages thermal exchanges with the shops. South orientated, it is closed in winter, heated by the sun. In summertime, the doors open allowing natural ventilation. A wooden-structured mall with European tree species only (concrete is used for the superstructure only), this is the first commercial centre of this kind in France.

Embrassing the ZAC sustainable regeneration, the centre is designed like a green city quarter. From the material used, the parking, the terrasses by the park, the covered and uncovered streets and squares, the service, to the bioclimatic mechanism, everything belongs together. The mall is a green, fresh and welcoming luminous volume permanently connected to the park and the street. Large glass vitrines, places and restaurant terraces extend these open views while the timber louvers and glass roofs let the natural light infiltrate this shopping promenade. More than a commercial space, the “Caserne” is a place.

Caserne de Bonne, A bioclimatic shopping centre design by Groupe-6