The NEF of Saint-Dié-Des-Vosges secured by Promat

The project, initiated by the municipality and the Etablissement Public Foncier de Lorraine, reflects the desire to conserve and rehabilitate the industrial heritage of the city. It also strengthens cultural policy by creating an artistic reference center which is part of the urban renewal of the Kellermann district.

Installed on more than 1 m² in the heart of a public and landscaped park, the establishment aims to welcome artists on tour or in residence as well as to allow the organization of public events and events. The NEF (in reference to its appearance) is a unique space which contributes to the emergence and development of new talents. This new platform is also intended to be a place open to all since visitors will be able to access it freely.

Rehabilitate while preserving the industrial identity of the site

The transformation of the site into a high place of expression and artistic creation was entrusted to the architecture agency DWPA, with the watchwords of preserving the characteristics and memory of the building while bringing a new architectural ambition .

The structure of the building has therefore been preserved, as well as the arched reinforced concrete vault and the large glass roof. Likewise, to recall the industrial atmosphere, special care was taken with the use of raw materials (sheet metal and squared wood).

In order to blend in with its local environment, the party decided to coat the outer envelope with a green mineral coating associated with perforated sheets of Gantois. This openwork facade recalls both the past of the place by reinterpreting the old maps of the looms and the musical maps.

The internal space has been completely redesigned to respond to the new functionalities of the structure and highlight the exceptional volume of this reinforced concrete hall on two levels. The ground floor is served by a large common area devoted to the music school. To allow the pupils to rehearse in the best conditions, cells constituting a sort of "village of cabins" take the place of classrooms. These are compartmentalized by glazed frames so that the activities that take place there are visible to the public and arouse interest and curiosity.

On the lower floor, on the ground floor, there is a 13m x 13m creation stage and two rehearsal and recording studios. Part of the concrete slab (protected from fire by Promat) separating the ground floor and the first floor was destroyed to offer the creation platform a double height and allow it to benefit from the natural light diffused by the lighting canopy also the classrooms.

Protection and enhancement of the reinforced concrete vault by Promat

In order to repair the various alterations caused by time, renovation work on the iconic thin reinforced concrete vault was necessary. They were able to ensure its sustainability and adapt the structure to the new construction standards related to fire safety of ERP (Establishment Receiving the Public) of 3rd category.

The main challenge of this project was to give both fire protection and a raw aesthetic dimension to the vault. The major constraint consisted in ensuring that the products used did not increase the structural weight of the vault, the thickness of which varied between 7 and 11 cm.

Problems which therefore necessitated recourse to solutions reconciling technical and aesthetic characteristics. The choice then quickly fell on the use of a sprayed coating: PROMASPRAY®-P300 developed by Promat. Dedicated to the fire protection of concrete structures, this pasty material had the advantage of having a light consistency based on a mix of vermiculite and plaster mixed with water, which allowed to retain the original shape of the vaulted.

A 2 cm thick layer was applied by spraying under high pressure directly onto the previously treated support. PROMASPRAY®-P300, thus provided, the essential fire protection to the concrete structure and a degree of resistance of R / REI 60, attested by a European report.

PROMASPRAY®-P300 allowed a simple, fast and uniform installation (according to DTU 27.2), even in difficult intervention conditions like those encountered by the installation teams, working at a height between 3 and 5 meters. The use of a spraying machine maximized the reliability of the work and the efficiency of the operators who worked with an application rate of 200 m² / day.

In order to enhance the vault from an aesthetic point of view, the latter is adorned with a decorative finishing plaster, SIDAIRLESS by Promat. The DWPA agency wanted the structure to be completely repainted in a color with mastic reflections to ensure perfect architectural coherence with the entire interior structure of the building. A very specific request that allowed Promat to demonstrate its know-how and its ability to offer tailor-made solutions.

In addition, the SIDAIRLESS coating has technical performances which make it the ideal solution for this type of establishment. Combined with the PROMASPRAY®-P300, it contributes to improving the acoustic correction of the ground floor and thus contributes to the sound comfort of the musicians. Specially designed for the mechanical reinforcement of projected coatings, SIDAIRLESS is also characterized by its capacity to ensure an optimal reaction to fire (classified A1) and to maintain its functions of use over time.

In accordance with DTU 27.2, this ready-to-use solution requires a drying time after applying PROMASPRAY®-P300 before being applied by spraying using an Airless spray gun.

This project demonstrates once again that within the framework of architectural projects for the rehabilitation of industrial heritage, Promat solutions provide real added value in terms of functionality and aesthetics. They combine the necessary assets to allow the restoration of old buildings in the strictest respect for their original appearance.

www.promat.fr