Building – Dazzling Interiors

Odeon Tower

admin — Thu, 05 Apr 2018 10:50:28 +0000

The Odeon Tower offers residents of the Principality 100,000 sq. metres of high-end retail and residential space. The foundations were one of the major challenges in building the high-rise, which has a footprint of only 3,000 sq. metres on a steep slope. To meet the delivery schedule, the “top and down” construction method was used to build the 10 underground parking levels and the 49 storeys of the building simultaneously.

Meliá Hotel La Défense

admin — Thu, 05 Apr 2018 05:41:43 +0000

The Méliá Hotel’s smooth, glazed surface faces the historical Place de l’Etoile – Porte Maillot – La Défense Grande Arche axis. The Spanish Meliá Group designed the new four-star structure as its flagship hotel in France. The “knife blade” shaped building plays on contrasting materials: glass on the southern esplanade-side facade and metallic shot-peened panels on the boulevard side. The fluid, curved southern facade ends in a prow with a tilted edge projecting towards Paris.

A hotel built on virtually invisible land

Built like a bridge spanning several tunnels, the design called for ingenious solutions on the part of VINCI Construction. Located on the spot where a ventilation plant for the A14 motorway previously stood, the 1,600 sq. metre land take is hemmed in by the circular boulevard, the La Défense esplanade and a car park exit. The building straddles two tunnels, a car park exit and a ventilation shaft like a bridge. It rests on special foundations built across the Défense 2 car park between the various tunnels.

MLC Tower

admin — Thu, 05 Apr 2018 05:22:28 +0000

The MLC tower, a historic 220 metre building with more than 60 storeys, had suffered the ravages of time since it was built in 1977. It has now been given a new lease on life. The project included an assessment of the condition of the outside facade, restoration of the performance and strength of the facade elements, restoration of the building’s appearance and provision of a specific maintenance plan.

To renovate the 35,000 sq. metre facade, the Freyssinet teams applied a range of solutions, including cathodic protection of the reinforcing bars and application of a waterproof silane surface treatment.

Rejuvenating the building while minimising disruption for occupants

Since the building remained occupied during the project, a major effort was made to minimise disruption for local residents, including encapsulation of the work areas and specially developed work platforms. Overall, the noise level was reduced by 25 dB. The “facelift” restored the iconic building to its former glory as part of the Sydney skyline.