Lighting project for the regional headquarters of a major French bank

About Project

The building that houses the regional headquarters of the Atlantique Vendée, one of the major French  banks, is a perfect example of bioclimactic architecture. Designed by the AIA Ingénierie studio, it  features modular offices covering three floors surrounding a central plaza, as well as side platforms  divided into five floors. The entrance features a 15m high glass frontage that allows natural light to  pass through and includes a panoramic lift.  In this context, the AIA architectural studio has decided to leave ample space for natural light while  also carefully monitoring artificial light. The dynamic lighting concept in the hall and plaza are based on  this principle and feature iGuzzini Zyl luminaires.  To ensure that the building does not disappear at night or when the artificial lighting is switched off, the  architects have created a central luminous animation that matches the vertical thrust of the large hall  perfectly. The AIA studio lighting designer, Philippe Laheux, has chosen to use pendant glass  luminaires in the large central hall.  According to the lighting designer, using LED lighting was a must as this technology reduces  consumption and allows control systems to be used that can create dynamic lighting and command  colour and intensity variations automatically. 

Philippe Laheux opted to use the iGuzzini Zyl luminaire as it is available in both a pendant and bollard  version. Zyl is a luminaire with a stainless steel base and an external transparent polycarbonate  screen that encapsulates a decorative transparent methacrylate cylinder. The standard industrial  production code has been modified to adapt it perfectly to project specifications. In particular, the white  LED has been replaced with three RGB LEDs, the heights of the bollard bases have been changed  and special pendant cables have been designed so that the lowest luminaires do not hang more than  6m below the glass frontage.  Blue and green LEDs have been chosen because they are the official colours of the Atlantique  Vendée regional headquarters. Inside, the light intensity of the pendant luminaires varies according to  the natural light and colour variations are timed to match the rhythm of the Zyl luminaires outside.  The lighting designer has recorded numerous light sequences so that the building technicians can  choose appropriate light programmes for special events. The colour variations occur at a slow rhythm  and the shades are relatively delicate, as the main idea is to accompany the arrival and departure of  employees and not to create spectacular light shows.  The DALI system that controls each luminaire is connected to the building control system and  activates the required light scenario when tripped. The customer has already established that the  dynamic lighting system will turn off automatically when rooms are not being used. In the hall a total of  65 pendant Zyl luminaires have been installed, and in the plaza 135 Zyl bollards.
 

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• Year:
  2015
• Client:
  Istituto bancario francese
• Architectural project:
  AIA Architectes
• Lighting project:
  AIA Ingénierie – Philippe Laheux (AIA)
• General contractor:
  Architectes Ingénieurs Associés
• Photographer:
  Guillaume Satre