High-end wooden ceilings and cladding for the renovation of several Halls at Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport

Each solution, by its design and its technical aspect, made it possible to meet the requirements which were extremely high. A look back at the challenges of these projects and the solutions delivered.

Impressive transformations for improved airport hospitality

Paris-Charles airport has just been voted the best European airport by the Anglo-Saxon organization Skytrax, in terms of the quality of the product offer and customer-oriented services. It is therefore no surprise that Europe's leading airport is regularly the subject of improvement projects. Karine Droit-Mijoule, Architect in charge of an agency within Groupe ADP, explains: “An airport is a living organism: its uses, the expectations of its users and the standards to which it is subject constantly evolve. Its architecture therefore continues to be questioned. Also, two of the halls of Terminal 2E have recently been completely revamped: Halls L and K have in fact undergone various development works, a few years apart.

When the studies for the rehabilitation of Hall L were launched in 2016, the objectives were clear: it was a question of improving customer satisfaction, thanks to the quality of the overall offer for passengers. Karine Droit-Mijoule details: “The goal was in fact to offer our customers a space more in line with new standards and with a global vision for the next decade. The changes that have been undertaken have given rise to a real transformation: improving the legibility of the route, revitalizing and decluttering the boarding area and improving the passenger experience were the priorities. Indeed, Terminal 2E Hall L carries Groupe ADP's ambitions in terms of airport hospitality: “It was created with a very specific objective: to create a unique place. Groupe ADP also regularly calls on renowned exterior designers to enhance some of its spaces. The works were launched in 2018.

In 2016, the Hall K retail area underwent a complete renovation: “The desire was to develop and renew the offer. In addition, the image was obsolete: it was not related to the luxury dealerships we wanted to attract,” explains Marc Angély, interior designer and agency director at Groupe ADP. "There was work to recompose the space and the atmosphere to create a setting allowing luxury brands, such as Cartier, Hermès, Chanel, Dior, Tiffany or Gucci, to express themselves while respecting their own concepts. »

Solutions that meet aesthetic requirements

After three years of renovation work, Terminal 2E Hall L has a completely new appearance: the furniture, floor, walls, lighting and ceiling are very different from those of yesteryear.

On the ceiling side, the change is amazing: from dark steel, we go to white wooden slats. Designed and manufactured by Hunter Douglas, the new ceiling is in fact made up of 8.000 m2 of solid wood grids, with a matt white lacquer selected from several white samples offered by the manufacturer. Although being 50% open, the scrolling of the slats gives the illusion of a closed ceiling when the gaze is carried far away. Beautifully complemented by a floor made of poured concrete with white marble aggregate, it allows the boarding area to be more visible. Karine Droit-Mijoule comments: “Before, this area was dark: in addition to the steel ceiling, the entire floor was dark carpet. Now the combination of floor and ceiling creates a clear guideline. »

On the wall side, the wood is expressed in all its splendor. 1.000 m 2 of white walnut wood slats, delimited and nano-perforated, with clear varnish, were installed to replace walls equipped with mirrors; a “remarkable graphically speaking” achievement for Marc Angély. To complete the new layouts of the Hall, luminaires installed on the ceiling highlight the new elements: in addition to creating transverse lighting, they underline the guideline. Some of them also aim to highlight the walls while harmonizing the visibility of the areas, avoiding an alternation of bright areas (LED screens and signs) and dark areas (walls without screens).

For Karine Droit-Mijoule, the work has borne fruit: “The whole atmosphere has been redone: between the interior layout and the new materials, we have restored the shine. »

Hall K, renovated a few years earlier, benefits from similar solutions: Hunter Douglas delivered 1.200 m2 of solid wood slatted ceiling grid, the colors of which, white and brown, were selected from samples made for the project; the blades are superbly underlined by a wood veneer installed like a ribbing system. The manufacturer also supplied 650 m2 of wall cladding in branched American walnut with nano-perforations. The ribbing system finishes and accompanies the ceiling; it makes it integral with the wooden cladding that drapes the mall. says Marc Angély. For the interior designer, the atmosphere is undeniably improved, the design successful: “Previously, the area was dimly lit; the metal ceiling was no longer up to standard. As for the dressing, there is a real subject of finishing and a perfect success at this level: a graphic game is created by the panels which are never the same, and this difference gives the truth to the ambience and material. »

Practical solutions to meet technical constraints

If the aesthetic aspect was essential for the choice of new elements, the practical aspect was also essential. Indeed, for the two Halls, it was particularly necessary to set up a false ceiling which would allow easy access to the plenum, for safety and maintenance needs. Karine Droit-Mijoule comments: “In Hall L, for example, the old suspended ceiling was made up of steel grilles and allowed access to the plenum. We favored a new ceiling with a 50% opening, just like the old one; it is a necessity, in particular for smoke extraction. »

For these projects, Hunter Douglas was able to deliver solutions adapted to the existing technical constraints. Given the strict deadlines and the continuous operation of the site, the manufacturer notably had to reuse the existing primary structure with a specific frame format, to support the new false ceiling of Hall L. In addition, the solution designed also makes it possible to remedy a problem posed by the hatches of the initial project. “They were too heavy and therefore difficult to handle,” explains Karine Droit-Mijoule, “the challenge was therefore to keep opening hatches and to lighten them. » Hunter Douglas has made nearly 2.500 m2 of hatches, aligned in several rows to allow a worker to carry out maintenance easily. Olivier Tordjman, Key Account Manager at Hunter Douglas Architectural France, explains: “To achieve this, our engineers had to rework the frames of the usual hatches. In addition, we dressed the wooden grids on the hatches before delivery. In Hall K, the installed ceiling solution also includes hatches and therefore also meets the challenges of dismantling and access.

On the wall covering side, the solutions have been selected for their excellent acoustic properties. Olivier Tordjman specifies: “With the nano-perforations, we achieve a sound absorption value of 0,90 to 0,95. For Karine Droit-Mijoule, the manufacturer's nano-perforated facings indisputably ensure acoustic comfort. is significantly improved. For Hall K, Marc Angély made the same observation: “It was necessary to guarantee acoustic comfort of an excellent level, worthy of an interior space. Hunter Douglas' technology and ability to respond to this issue was extremely decisive in the choice of the product. »

For Hall K, an additional challenge, according to Olivier Tordjman, was posed by the portholes on the facades of the isthmus: “We had to be extremely precise to manufacture facings that could dress the portholes perfectly. »

Wood, material in the spotlight

For both of these projects, Hunter Douglas delivered wood ceiling and wall cladding solutions. For the architects of Groupe ADP, this material represents undeniable advantages. First, in terms of aesthetics. Wood is renowned for the warmth it gives off. “It's a very enveloping material that makes sense in an interior,” says Marc Angély, “moreover, Terminal 2E has historically worked a lot with wood; we have a common thread with the use of walnut, a somewhat signature species of Groupe ADP, also used in Hall M.”

In terms of mechanical properties then. The architect in charge of the agency underlines in particular the resistance of the material: “We knew that the ceiling was going to be subjected to several maintenance operations, which therefore meant regular dismantling and reassembly. However, wood is a more resistant material than aluminum, so there is no risk of deformation. »

The environmental issue also played a role in the choice of solutions. Karine Droit-Mijoule explains: “This is the big challenge launched by the RE2020. We have been taking all of this very seriously for several years now, but the environmental issue is definitely becoming more and more important. Marc Angély confirms: “Groupe ADP aims to achieve a 2050 target of zero carbon emissions. Environmental standards, in the processing of veneer, glues, etc., all of this comes into play. Our suppliers must therefore offer suitable solutions. »

Hunter Douglas Architectural: quality services and offerings

For the two architects, the support of the company on these projects was extremely important. A prerequisite for quickly developing optimal solutions: "The close collaboration with Hunter Douglas has enabled us to visualize not only the aesthetic aspects, but also the technical aspects", explains Karine Droit-Mijoule, "and this, via prototypes and samples. This allowed us to very quickly validate our choice. » Marc Angély confirms: « The collaboration was extremely fruitful because Hunter Douglas allowed us to achieve our ambitions in terms of quality. We had the opportunity to choose what suited us. The manufacturer indeed organized a visit to the Netherlands, to allow the designer to make his choice among different batches, then to reserve the necessary number.

For Karine Droit-Mijoule and Marc Angély, the company was able to demonstrate its know-how on these projects. The interior designer explains: “The range of products has enabled us to find solutions and create interior fittings and atmospheres of very high quality. » For the façade in particular, Hunter Douglas has been able to develop a product that overcomes the fears of the designer: « Being almost invisible, nano-perforation in no way calls into question the truth of the wood, of the grain. All of this made me very happy. It was precisely the quality of the products installed in Hall K that guided Karine Droit-Mijoule's choice: "The positive feedback from the project with Hunter Douglas developed in this Hall made it possible to move towards the same range of product, even if the concepts were different. The manufacturer's ability to offer solutions capable of remedying technical problems is also highly appreciated. “There is real technical expertise that deserves to be welcomed,” concludes Marc Angély.

By supplying wooden ceiling and wall covering systems for Paris-Charles de Gaulles airport, Hunter Douglas Architectural once again demonstrates its ability to design and manufacture solutions capable of meeting the highest requirements. For Marc Angély as for Karine Droit-Mijoule, the projects carried out with the manufacturer are a success. Marc Angély explains: “For the Customer Department, Hall K of Terminal 2E is the reference in terms of quality. Luis Vuitton has just set up a boutique there; the first at a Groupe ADP airport. This is proof of the success of this project and the quality it conveys. Karine Droit-Mijoule concludes: “The result for both projects is entirely up to the qualitative challenges we were expecting. »