Master stroke

The T1 Tower, designed by architects Valode & Pistre, is a remarkable office building; its silhouette, reminiscent of a yacht, is in perfect harmony with its counterparts in La Défense business district.

The very first tower of La Défense’s ‘sustainable generation’, the T1 Tower’s interior resembles a ship’s mast and the two catering levels have been constructed using over 1,000 m2 of Medite FR flame-retardant MDF.

The T1 Tower was designed as large sheet of glass, approximately 200 metres in length and folded vertically at the southern end, curving gradually to the North. This new form, which takes on different light from each angle, has marked out its place in the complex urban context, turning it into a landmark. Seen from the South, it appears as a ship’s bow overlooking the fleet of La Défense towers. From the West, it resembles an immense sail whose gentle curve and uneven silhouette reach out to the city below. From the North, it becomes a ladder, bending slightly as it heads for the sky before disappearing behind the building’s facade.

Each level offers a vast panoramic plateau thanks to the tower’s horseshoe geometry. Its design combines quality working conditions with operational efficiency and high-performing facilities.

The tower is oriented North-South and the large, curved sheet is embellished with a screen print that shields the building from the sun’s rays. The high level of insulation and low-exposure facades help reduce heat losses. All architectural and technical choices contribute to ensuring that the building is in harmony with its environment. This includes proper management of energy resources, the choice of construction materials, the comfort of residents and health standards.

It is the first tower of La Défense’s new sustainable generation with an architectural design that differs greatly from those of previous generations.

Valode & Pistre Architects was founded in 1980 and is an international architectural, interior design, urban design and engineering firm with offices in Paris, Madrid, Warsaw, Moscow, Yekaterinburg, Beijing and Shanghai. Denis Valode and Jean Pistre are currently working on a diverse range of major projects that include high-rise buildings, shopping centres, hospitals and entire city suburbs. In all areas of their work, Denis Valode and Jean Pistre offer revolutionary basic concepts that go beyond the project themselves. This is particularly so in terms of workplace quality, the ability to master the relationship between heritage and modern architecture when renovating and the use of latest technology (structures, new materials, environmental).

In specifying and using Medite FR, the installers, Sedib, and the importer, La Boisserolle, in collaboration with Valode & Pistre architects, have made the flame retardant MDF integral to the unique interior design for the two catering areas. The level 1 bistro-style kiosk and level 2 cafeteria both offer providing a warm and comfortable atmosphere within the heart of the “ship”. “Medite panels are a perfect fit for the Tour T1’s environmental concept,” says Peter Allenbach of Valode & Pistre. “They meet all safety, design, aesthetic and ecological
requirements.”

The MDF (medium-density fibreboard) panels used on both catering levels are Medite FR
flame retardant. Over 1,000 m² of panels were used to create the wall coverings. Oak veneer
was applied to all panelling, and all panels were finished with real striped oak veneer and flame
retardant varnish. The most important reason for using Medite FR MDF is safety: under building
regulations the use of flame retardant materials is essential.

Made with very little formaldehyde, Medite FR panels are also environmentally friendly.
Medite FR MDF is the ideal solution in terms of the dual priority of sustainable architecture
and public safety. Medite FR has proven a versatile construction material with the required
properties in terms of fire-proofing, while presenting the usual manufacturability and
quality of finish now demanded by architects for high-quality MDF panels.

Medite FR
Medite FR (Flame Retardant) Euro Class B & C is an MDF panel developed specifically for
use in situations where a Euro Class B or a Euro Class C flame retardant board is required
under building regulations. Developed for the 21st Century at Medite’s Clonmel MDF facility
in Ireland, Medite FR is integral to the Medite family of high performance MDF products.
www.medite-europe.com/flameretardant

Medite Europe Ltd.
Medite Europe Ltd. is part of Coillte Panel Products and owned by Coillte (the Irish forestry
and forest products company). Medite products are recognised as the benchmark for quality,
consistency and performance in MDF, as well as being FSC certified. Medite has led the market
in technical innovation, introducing such advances as moisture resistant, flame retardant,
exterior grade, zero-added formaldehyde and flooring quality MDF varieties, and their programme of innovation is continuous.

Coillte Panel Products
Coillte Panel Products is owned by Coillte, who brought together two leading European panel
products operations; SmartPly OSB in Waterford and leading MDF manufacturer Medite Europe Ltd., in Clonmel, making Coillte Panel Products a significant and powerful player in Europe’s composite board marketplace.

Both Medite and SmartPly are Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified which differentiates them from many competitor and substitute products, and enables them to meet environmental standards which are becoming increasingly important to designers, specifiers, architects and clients for both public and private projects.
www.coillte.com
www.medite-europe.com
www.smartply.com

Valode & Pistre Architects
Created in 1980, Valode & Pistre still rests on the same personal convictions of exchange, dialogue and mutual enrichment which have always been at the origin of their projects. The firm’s reputation lies in projects to which they have applied this approach and include the Musée d’Art Contemporain in Bordeaux, L’Oreal’s factory in Aulnay sous Bois, the Renault Technocentre, the head offices of Shell and Air France, the Léonard de Vinci University in La Défense, the Cour Saint- Emilion in Bercy, as well as the T1 Tower in La Défense. At present, they have several projects in progress such as Jiuxianqiao in Beijing, China, for 2010 and the Grand Stadium in Lille for 2012.

Continually exploring contextual and ecological aspects, they develop and build projects throughout the world; Spain, Italy, Great Britain, Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Russia, Lebanon, Morocco, Mexico, Russia, China and India.
www.valode-et-pistre.com