The Acte VII project is rooted in the history of Ivry-sur-Seine, shaped by the Industrial Revolution and later by deindustrialization, which has freed up industrial heritage whose revitalization offers an opportunity to revitalize the area. Freed from major industrial footprints, the Confluences neighborhood benefits from excellent public transit access (RER C, Line 7, Line 10, and TZen5). The municipality aims to strengthen its mixed-use urban fabric and improve connections to the historic center. Benefiting from exceptional visibility from the RER, Acte VII will be one of the first signs of the neighborhood’s renewal.
An iconic form…
Acte VII opens onto a distinctive railway landscape, providing a counterpoint to exceptional views of the city, notably of the Cité Maurice Thorez and Cormailles Park. The comb-like composition, combined with roofs that extend the historic profile of the market halls, creates a dialogue with the preserved market hall while offering a dynamic form along the railway tracks. It features four buildings arranged along a series of courtyards. The choice of brick for the facades pays homage to and harmonizes with the Cité Maurice-Thorez through a sober and timeless design language. On the railway side, a succession of aligned gables redefines the urban façade, enriching it with a composition of varying heights that energizes its silhouette. On Rue Molière, a succession of landscaped courtyards softens the perception of density on the site and allows for shared uses, such as restaurant terraces and sports equipment…
…focused on usage
The approach developed by PCA-STREAM is guided by a focus on usage, particularly the evolution of work styles, while promoting quality of life in the office. The general principle is to create clarity and streamline spaces, promote horizontality and comfort, and increase the number of hybrid spaces designed for social interaction. An interior street runs through all the buildings, and vertical circulation encourages pedestrian movement within the buildings, fostering more informal encounters. The floors feature large, open, bright, pleasant, and highly adaptable spaces, with access to the outdoors via green walkways. The rooftop and panoramic terraces on the top floors offer exceptional views.
Environmental Excellence
In line with the neighborhood’s eco-ambitions, Acte VII is developing an exemplary environmental strategy. The use of terracotta brick underscores the choice of a timeless, low-carbon material. The buildings rest on a low-carbon concrete foundation before rising into a wooden structure. The reuse approach is complemented by the use of sustainable materials on the upper floors: blinds made from recycled fabric, exposed raw concrete, unplastered and unfinished. The buildings’ design allows for passive thermal systems depending on their orientation. Sustainable water management is implemented throughout the project. Facing the Parc des Cormailles, the city’s green lung, Acte VII adds a green heart that hosts diverse flora and fauna. Maximizing open ground areas allows for generous vegetation, while promoting natural rainwater infiltration and the creation of cooling islands. The interplay between architecture and landscaping allows vegetation to grow on the facades. The project also promotes sustainable mobility through dedicated spaces and a high-quality user experience (outdoor access ramps, 300 m² of parking space, spacious and comfortable changing rooms).
An open commercial complex
Particular care was taken in planning the ground floors. The Haber Hall offers a varied dining selection open to the neighborhood. The ground floor of the second building houses a business center, an auditorium, and a coworking space open to the neighborhood. Concierge services, wellness and fitness clubs, a medical center, and a bike club are available to employees. Unlike older generations of commercial buildings, these spaces become the living heart of the building and help revitalize the neighborhood.
