Tour M2 Saint-Gobain, La Défense – Courbevoie, France

The Saint-Gobain Tower, also known as M2 tower, is an office skyscraper in the business district of La Defense near Paris. Designed to be the future showcase for Saint-Gobain’s image and expertise, the tower aims to achieve an exemplary level of environmental quality and energy performance by focusing in particular on compliance with the Group’s comfort standards for the benefit of its future occupants.
The project is primarily dedicated to office space, integrated in the "tower body," and repeated identically on 25 floors. The "tower head" is a tapered cube volume surrounded by a glass cap housing semi-outdoor gardens that are protected from wind and will be serving as reception space.
The tower design aspires a triple environmental certification (BREEAM Excellent, LEED Gold, Passport Exceptional HQE) as well as an “Effinergie +” label. In accordance with the innovative philosophy of Saint-Gobain, climate solutions have been developed which are atypical for buildings in France. Most part of the tower body is protected by a double-skin façade which protects the external venetian blinds from strong winds over the full height of the tower.
A decentralized ventilation system provides fresh air via displacement ventilation in the office spaces ensuring a high level of hygrothermal comfort. The offices are conditioned by radiant ceilings powered by a group of geothermal heat pumps enhancing synergies between the heating and cooling needs.
The comfort of future users was a key component for the design. Therefore the users have been integrated into the design process through thematic workshops to list their needs. Additionally the operation of the developed innovative solutions have been explained to them.