For many years, Colliers France has been helping the Belgian company Solvay to design its workspaces. It is therefore only logical that the chemical group called on our services to design its new Business Centre in the heart of the Silex2 Tower. The opportunity to offer greater freedom of movement to employees and to create a connected work environment, in line with new uses.
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| Location | Delivery | Surface area | Workstations | |||
| Tour Silex2, Lyon | 2021 | 9 000 m² | 800 for 700 employees |
From the 4th to the 9th floor of the Silex2 Tower, the Solvay teams are enjoying a new living space that is both comfortable and flexible. Previously working in an ageing building, they have swapped their shared, closed offices for dynamic workstations and spaces designed to suit each business profile. This new impetus is based on a layout charter of major principles published by Solvay and a reflection carried out by Colliers to offer a greater diversity of working spaces.
Missions
Strategic framing - Workshops for co-designing the work environment - Definition of the architectural concept - Design, design and signage - Assistance with the choice of furniture - Design and management of the support plan and support for social communication - Awareness-raising sessions for managers and employees on the dynamic environment - Post-move satisfaction survey - Find all our services >
A new circulation for transverse collaboration
Information gathering, co-construction workshops... The starting point of our intervention to define the organisation of the floors, the circulation flows and the workspaces, the analysis of the needs allowed the deployment of a resolutely innovative environment. From now on, new collaborative and digital work experiences are available to all employees. Far from the traditional spatial and functional organisation of the offices, all the floors are based on the same scheme: as soon as the lift doors open, employees and visitors are welcomed by a collaborative zone with personal lockers and a coffee area to start the day.
The meeting rooms are always close to the entrances to the floors and are open to all, regardless of their profession, entity or floor. Thus, the spatial circulation is double, both horizontal and vertical, affirming a desire to encourage conversation, interactivity and mutual enrichment. However, exchanges are less frequent at the opposite end of the lifts, where concentration zones follow intermediate spaces with different types of workstations.
When colour and materials structure a place
Inspired by the layout chart, which takes up the elements of chemistry, each level has been assigned a colour and a value. Yellow for innovation, sky blue for science, indigo for the environment, etc. Present on the glass walls of the meeting rooms and on the acoustic panels, the colour serves as a visual identity, in opposition to the very graphic colour scheme - black, off-white, anthracite - of the floors, ceilings and walls. A window display was also created for the occasion, highlighting historical figures in connection with scientific discoveries, local personalities or revolutionary inventions.
« At the entrance to the set, we have created a layout around communication screens that broadcast continuous information. Digital screens are also present in front of the bubbles and the meeting rooms to meet the requirements of mobility. »
To bring lightness and create a friendly atmosphere, we also designed whimsical papers. They dress the meeting bubbles and certain convivial areas in a play on perception, optical illusion in relation to the theme, the notion of micro-macro scale and pointillism echoing the group's logo.
Encouraging dynamism and emulation
It is a pleasure to wander through this warm working environment, which gives pride of place to people and exchanges, like the inspirational quotes written in large format to nourish everyone's creativity. Here, everything has been designed to encourage movement. From the carpet tiles in three tones that symbolise the entrance to a new space, to the directional and functional signage inspired by the periodic table... Nothing seems to be set in stone. Not even the organisation of the floors, which is intended to be modular, in line with Solvay's development.
« To counterbalance the very light grey walls and the grey floor, we opted for very colourful, pop-inspired furniture to give the whole a dynamic feel. »
- Silex2 -
These spaces are part of the Silex² Tower, located in the dynamic Part-Dieu district of Lyon. Silex² reinvents the office building by offering its occupants premium business and well-being services. Discover two other projects carried out by Colliers teams in this building: Covivio & Wellio.
Discover more project in our Book Colliers #6