Facade Renovation

Preservation and Adaptive Reuse Architecture

Sustainability has emerged as a pivotal concept in the architecture and construction industry. However, it is often perceived merely as the attainment of an abstract performance metric or the fulfillment of specific certification requirements. If we are to boil it down to the fundamentals of sustainability, reusing a building structure can not only achieve maximum energy reduction but also preserve the historical values of meaningful architecture to civilization.

As specialists in facade renovation, VS-A. Group possesses extensive experience in preservation and adaptive reuse architecture projects. In the following sections, we will highlight a selection of facade renovation projects that we have successfully delivered over the years across various locations worldwide.

52 Champs Elysées, Paris

Working on the Champs Elysées is a kind of achievement for all Architects. This project was the refurbishment of a 30s art-deco building. The works concerning the windows consisted in a total overhaul, with the highest possible performances regarding energy savings, without changing the appearance. VS-A is familiar with such kinds of work. We love doing it and the results can indeed be incredibly close to the original design. We feel sad when we see projects where technical issues destroy the harmony of the original design.
We discovered a fantastic glass roof that was concealed by a false ceiling for years. In fact, this is probably one of the most characteristic parts of the original project and literally the heart of it. It was partially damaged and it had lost its watertightness, so what to do? We started thinking of a glass dome with triangular glasses that could cover it, but it was hard to convince ourselves and the client that the structure wouldn’t affect the vision from the underside.
The agreed solution was the restoration of the glass dome; replacing the broken glass; redoing the mortar seals; and adding a slightly colored resin to match the color of the existing glass some 90 years prior. There was an added bonus of achieving a warranty for water tightness with this technique. Sometimes, old design has a history and a charm that we must respect.
Architecture Firm: PCA Stream

Quai Ouest, Boulogne-Billancourt

Architecture Firm: Brenac & Gonzalez & Associés

UCCA Renovation, Beijing

The new visual identity created by OMA for UCCA in Beijing is based on visible transparency. We investigated the different ways to express this concept, and selected a variety of different curved glass shapes. Not only the reflected surroundings generate interesting visual effects, but also the tiny imperfections that the curving process sometimes printed on the glass surface.
Frames are monolithic lasercut stainless steel profiles. 6 months were sufficient for doing the design, the tender and finally get it all constructed by Northglass.
Northglass is probably more famous abroad than in China itself, so we were luckily surprised that they showed such high interest in this small project. No one ever said the project was simple, but the production appeared to be very challenging, and the most complicated glass type, in Ω shape, required over 10 unsuccessful tests before the glass specialist found the way to get it done.
Although Northglass has one of the most modern factories in the world, the feasibility of such glasses still rely on the experience and the know-how of a few men.
Architecture Firm: OMA

The Centre Prouvé, Nancy

This is one of the most hi-tech/complex projects developed by VS-A, despite the geometry of both existing and new buildings that are actually very simple.
It’s all in the design of the different facade systems. And each system is related to a specific narrative that makes it all very unique. For instance, steel is produced in this area of France, so it made sense to use it here. As both Nancy and this building in particular are related to Jean PROUVE, we couldn’t do less than creating a steel facade innovation.
One particular opening started by a 2.2m high horizontal strip, reaching a height of 10m in the conference lobby. We started by designing a stick system with an extruded steel mullion, 60 x 38mm deep: Stiff enough for the lower span.
When spans increased, we added a spring in the upper part to add a permanent tension in the mullion, much like a cable. Maximum tension was over 12t, so the springs were quite big and needed to be hidden.
The result is an incredibly transparent glass facade, with extremely slender mullions that look totally undersized. No glass fin, no deep mullion, no cable and point fixings. A totally minimalist design.
The Facade systems can be replicated but nothing can imitate the stories that generated it.
Architecture Firm: Christophe Presle Architectes, Atelier Marc Barani