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Architects: Henning Larsen, KeurK architecture
- Area: 3000 m²
- Year: 2020
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Photographs:Jonathan Alexandre
Text description provided by the architects. Lush rooftop gardens and ample natural sunlight blend the boundaries between the built and organic. Here, the outside world comes in – an urban sanctuary of green wellness. At the Biotope, the natural world is rarely out of reach. The building layout prioritizes access to daylight, fresh air, and green space: Broad skylights flood atriums with sunlight, open-air balconies line lush courtyard gardens, and a terraced green roof covers the building footprint.
Our design draws on the natural world to bring heightened wellness into the workplace – On the day to day, employees can find fresh air, tranquility, and repose in the building’s green space. The name ‘Biotope’ takes root in Greek, meaning “place of life” – Meant to reflect the building’s emphasis on sustainable materials and green space.
Designed after a conceptual vision of a ripple of glass, light, and vegetation, the Biotope reflects the mission of a design that creates space for health and renewal as the new headquarters of the European Metropolis of Lille.
Built in a record time of 18 months, this project took advantage of continuous virtual reality technologies to support important decisions. In addition to the classic prototypes. With a surface area of nearly 30,000 m² over 7 floors, it is one of the largest office buildings built in Lille. Exemplary and ambitious in terms of environmental quality, Biotope is certified BREEAM excellent, WELL, E+C-, Biodiversity, and Wiredscore.
