Museum of the Order of the Liberation: Mermet expertise at the service of excellence

From shadow to light, a technical response for a place open to the public

Closed for 4 years for complete renovation, the Robert de Cotte building which houses the Museum of the Order of the Liberation is located in the west wing of the Hôtel national des Invalides and faces East / West.

In addition to a new scenography and upgrading to standards, particularly in terms of fire safety for ERP, it was imperative to improve the preventive conservation conditions of the collections presented to the public (display cases, humidity control, lighting). The main sun protection objectives were therefore to:

• reduce the light atmosphere to 50 lux;
• compensate for morning and afternoon sunshine.

Transparency, control of natural light, glare, heat control; but also protection of sensitive works, energy performance of buildings, etc. Mermet fabrics meet all the constraints and were therefore naturally chosen.

The principle of interior roller blinds was favored to preserve the integrity of the facades of this Historic Monument. According to the needs of each space, a combination of 2 fabrics has been developed to adjust the level of transparency or provide total concealment for sensitive works. A total of 160 blinds were manufactured by the Franciaflex company and installed by the SFP company of the Storistes de France network.

Aesthetic and decorative solutions

Depending on the orientation of the facades of each of the 3 thematic spaces, Free France, Interior Resistance and Deportation, there is a different association of fabrics.

In both East and West, the transparent Satiné 5500 fabric is installed directly against the glazing of each window. 78 blinds thus offer a subdued view of the Dôme des Invalides, but also:

• very good glare control thanks to its diagonal satin weave, while optimizing the supply of natural light: up to 96% of light rays are filtered (Tv = 4%);
• a very good transparency with a clear vision on the outside.

Among the 50 colors in the widest range on the market and its 6 widths from 1,60 to 3,20 m, the color 1006 Sable Bronze was chosen for its perfect integration into the facade, seen from the outside. This color offers good protection against heat in indoor application: it rejects 71% of solar energy (gtot = 0,29 / glazing g = 0,32 and U = 1,1). In exterior application, the satin fabric 5500 rejects up to 92% of solar energy (gtot = 0,08).

The superposition of a second independent blind makes it possible to modulate the light according to the needs and the seasons. The following were thus installed:

To the East in circulation spaces, the Kibo 8500 blackout fabric, placed directly in front of the windows. Completely opaque, and ideal for protecting sensitive works, this high-end solution blocks 100% of light and UV rays (stopped at more than 150 lux), while its Screen aspect coordinates perfectly with other interior screens. It also provides exceptional thermal comfort thanks to its white acrylic backing facing the glazing which eliminates 000% of solar radiation (gtot = 76 / glazing g = 0,24 and U = 0,32). Among the 1,1 colors of the range available in large width (9 m), it is the 2,50 Lin color that can be found on 2020 stores.

West, in the exhibition rooms facing the gardens and its topiaries, the Screen Vision SV 10%. The open basket weave (opening coefficient of 10%) of these 51 blinds allows you to benefit from:

• optimal transparency to obtain an excellent view to the outside,
• unparalleled light supply which improves the building's energy performance,
• control of glare: up to 91% of light rays are filtered (Tv = 9%).

If the range consists of 14 colors including 8 in large width of 3,20 m, 2 colors have been selected:

• 0210 White Sand for rooms with sand plaster,
• the 0707 Pearl for rooms with gray plaster.

With the Greenguard® label (guarantee of indoor air quality) and M1 fire rated, these fabrics also offer excellent durability proven by a mechanical endurance test of 10.000 cycles (class 3 NF EN 13120) and remarkable dimensional stability.

Mermet fabrics now allow the Museum of the Order of the Liberation to welcome its public in optimal conditions by perfectly controlling natural light and protecting the works on display. There is no doubt that the “army of shadows” will appreciate this highlighting.

www.sunscreen-mermet.fr