Renovation of the IGH of the Faculty of Pharmacy on the Timone site in Marseille: curtain wall expertise by Lorillard

This building, located on the Timone university site, has an area of ​​30.000 m² and has a star structure made up of three buildings connected by a central core, with training rooms and research laboratories.

With a height of more than 37 m, this building is a high-rise building made up of 10 levels on the ground floor and a basement. The tripod rests on a wider base housing amphitheatres, a library and administrative premises. In total, nearly 1.600 students and 320 staff are housed in the Pharmacy building.

The energy renovation project aims to rehabilitate the overall envelope of the building, replace the existing fuel boiler room with equipment meeting current standards and integrate renewable energy sources for direct self-consumption. This energy renovation project should make it possible to achieve energy savings of 35% and reduce CO2 emissions by 590.000 kg.

It is LÉON GROSSE, as agent of the design-construction group (contracted) by Aix-Marseille University, the project owner, who entrusted the subcontracting to the Lorillard Group for the renovation of the overall envelope of the building. After a year of design study and costing, the current project was developed in collaboration with several partners and began in March 2022.

This site is characterized by the fact that it is subject to the site notice of the third party Qualiconsult, which has established detailed specifications to ensure the safety, durability and conformity of the work (PV validated by Effectis) . To carry out this project, the Lorillard Group relied on the recommendations of its partner Louineau, for the fixing of the 936 aluminum curtain wall frames – whose profiles were provided by its other partner Wicona – on the facade, using hot-dip galvanized steel anchors. It was essential to meet the building's stress recovery requirements, particularly by taking into account the vortex effect of the wind on the dihedral building and corrosion, accentuated by the proximity of the coastline (3km).

Renovation on an occupied site of a university high-rise: operational specificities

Another remarkable feature of this project is its construction on an occupied site. Indeed, the floors of this High-Rise Building (IGH), from the ground floor to the tenth floor, house active classrooms and medical research laboratories. To minimize disruption for students and stakeholders, a phased work schedule has been developed.

This provides for the release of the floor blocks depending on the progress of the work to install the curtain wall, from the second to the tenth floor. On the ground floor and at the base level (R+1), where the curtain walls are not installed, trapezoidal shaped frames, manufactured by Vancia carpentry in Lyon, were used.

In terms of logistics and to carry out the renovation operation, Lorillard collaborated closely with LÉON GROSSE to refine the logistical methods and means, in accordance with the Site Installation Plan (PIC). In addition, this consultation is essential when a construction site takes place on an occupied site, because it ensures safety, minimizes disruption and promotes transparent communication with the local community.

« Together, we redefined logistics needs, adapted platforms according to loads and adjusted access paths for deliveries » explains Arnaud MERISIER, Business Manager Lorillard Entreprise Agence PACA. A derogation from the PIC was necessary to access via the main gate under certain strict conditions and to provide a limited buffer storage area. Despite the constraints of space and volume of products to be delivered, Lorillard organized deliveries in a staggered manner to efficiently supply the installation teams while respecting the schedule: “ We had to adapt our deliveries little by little so as not to invade the storage area, we were not the only subcontractor but we still had to ensure a certain supply to supply the installation teams and respect the schedule given » explains Arnaud MERISIER.

Coordination between delivery trucks and crane operators responsible for supplying the platforms was planned in advance to ensure a continuous flow of materials on the site.

Thus, due to the continued occupation of the site, the installation of the curtain wall followed an unconventional approach. Rather than starting on the ground floor and moving up gradually, the process started from the 5th floor to the last, the 10th, then the floors from R+1 to R+4.

This strategy involved a particular construction, where the frames were assembled to each other using a jointing system. Two teams of three people each installed the curtain wall using a twin-mast gondola, a flatbed truck and a crane to supply the intermediate platforms.

Still as part of the renovation in an occupied environment, an interior insulation strategy was adopted, combined with the replacement of glass systems.

This approach made it possible to preserve the old wooden structures, which helped to optimize site costs and reduce disruption for occupants. The openings were removed in subsection 4, in compliance with site requirements and safety standards.

And, the existing spandrels were confined by an extension and enclosure of the insulation, while the tables benefited from a white melamine finish with finishing angles.

The exterior glass profiles were therefore installed on the bare façade, in front of the old wooden joinery.

Iconic architecture

The Patriarche architectural firm chose to preserve the integrity of the original architectural vision of the building, erected in 1972 and emblematic of modern architecture with its post-and-beam concrete construction system. This decision was crucial given the status of an urban landmark that this building holds. While modernizing and improving thermal insulation, it was imperative to preserve its distinctive character.

This is why Patriarche, accompanied by the facade design office ECKERSLEY O'CALLAGHAN, opted for glass facades, installing a curtain wall with a colorimetry evoking the original shades of the wooden mullions of the previous frames. A subtle orange screen printing accentuates the volume effects of the facade and echoes the lacquered vertical strips present on the facade.

The new architectural concept is mainly based on the renovation of the facade in order to assimilate the building into its immediate environment. Patriarche opted for reflective solar control glazing, thus reflecting the surroundings and the variations of the sky on its imposing 37 meters in height.

In addition, the modernity of the curtain wall facade is particularly reinforced by the adoption of a Glued Exterior Glazing (VEC) opening structure.

These glass elements, devoid of partitioning, present a refined aesthetic, with no profile mass visible from the outside. This design accentuates the clarity of the glazing and the brightness, thus giving the facade a contemporary and bright look. Carrying out this work on the glass was entrusted to the Ariño Duglass mirror factory, another partner of the Lorillard Group.

ARIÑO DUGLASS, innovators in glass engineering

The Lorillard Group collaborated with the Spanish company Ariño Duglass, specialized in the field of glass, for the design and supply of glass elements. With PASS-VEC certification from the CSTB, Ariño Duglass played an essential role in advising and creating double glazing that is both insulating and acoustic to equip the curtain wall.
This innovative glazing is made up of two different thicknesses, thus optimizing the acoustic performance of the building. It includes an ingenious assembly of a 6 mm tempered exterior glass, a 16 mm argon interlayer and a 10 mm low-emissivity interior glass (FE 1,1 W/m²K.), providing thermal insulation and exceptional phonics.

In addition to the technical requirements in terms of acoustics and thermal insulation, the aesthetic aspect of the glass was also of paramount importance, responding to a specific request from the architect. He wanted solar control and screen-printed glass to complete the design of the facade. To meet this need, Ariño Duglass recommended the use of Stopsol Supersilver highly reflective solar control glass, which features a distinctive mirror effect. With a thermal Uw value of 1,3 W/m².K, this glass limits the penetration of solar heat to only 40%.

The interior face of the exterior glass panel was treated with Stopsol Supersilver during the dipping process, while the exterior face of the same panel was screen printed. To do this, Ariño Duglass, a specialist in screen-printed glass, applies a technique based on ceramics.

«Ceramic screen printing is done from vector drawings. A mask is thus created and adjusted to the glass panels. The paint, activated by heat, penetrates the glass. Thus, screen printing processing is carried out simultaneously with glass tempering for solar control » explains Laurent DOLLET – France project manager for ARINO DUGLASS.

The curtain wall in the renovation of high-rise buildings: elegance and safety

The use of curtain walls in the renovation of high-rise buildings offers a versatile and effective solution for modernizing the exterior appearance, improving energy and acoustic performance, optimizing interior space and guaranteeing the durability of the building envelope. For this rehabilitation project, Lorillard worked closely with the Louineau design office to design and manufacture the curtain wall anchoring systems. Lorillard sent detailed specifications to Louineau for the design of a mounting bracket. The objective was to guarantee that the solutions implemented meet all specifications and requirements in terms of building load recovery.
Thanks to the development of an in-depth calculation note, Louineau demonstrated that the parts produced met the needs in terms of loads due to weight, wind and seismicity of the site. In addition, to meet the conditions linked to atmospheric aggressiveness, due to the proximity of the coast, Louineau parts were manufactured in hot-dip galvanized steel. This material is renowned for its high resistance to corrosion and its longevity in an aggressive environment.

In total, more than 4.000 robust and easy-to-install anchor parts were produced to attach the 936 sets of Wicona aluminum curtain walls to the facade. The selection fell on Wicona's Wictec 50 curtain wall range with VEC system to meet expectations in terms of thermal performance, with a Uw value of 1,3 W/m².K. Wicona also supported, through a calculation note, the ability of the profiles to support the weight of the glazing and the stresses due to the wind.

The choice of RAL 9006, satin light gray, was essential to harmonize perfectly with the screen printing of the glazing. The corners of the dihedral were also treated in the same logic of continuity as the curtain wall. With regard to fire safety and compliance with the C+D rule aimed at preventing the vertical propagation of fire from one floor to another via the facade, the spandrels have been fitted out as shadow boxes to act as sections -fire, in accordance with the directives of technical instruction 249 concerning facades. In addition, on either side of the curtain wall, rock wool filling was placed and wrapped with galvanized sheet metal; similarly, the shadow boxes at the slab nosings are equipped with a galvanized cap.

The completion of the construction site should take place in October 2024 and thanks to close collaboration between the various stakeholders, in particular the Lorillard Group, the design offices, the specialized partners, this transformation has made it possible to revitalize this emblematic building while meeting safety, energy efficiency and aesthetic standards.

This architectural rehabilitation is an exemplary project which combines modernity, functionality and respect for the existing heritage. The use of modern techniques such as the curtain wall, specific glass systems and cutting-edge materials demonstrates the commitment to excellence in the rehabilitation of this structure.
This project perfectly illustrates the ability to reinvent urban spaces while preserving their identity and functionality, thus providing a more pleasant and sustainable environment for the users and residents of the faculty.