French architects Stephane Maupin and Nicolas Hugon have completed this ship-like building outside Paris as a base for rail and subway employees.

Connected to the roof of the five-storey building are three blades resembling those of a helicopter, which contain street lights and solar panels.

Called RATP Formation Centre, the projects has a combination of circular and rectangular windows.

More stories about industrial buildings on Dezeen »
More projects in Paris on Dezeen »

The following is from the architect:

The building is located on the fringe of Paris city, at ‘Porte de la Villette’, an area where the urban fabric dissolves into heterogeneous industrial infrastructures.

Surrounded between Paris ring road, train tracks, factories, and social housings, we were inspired by the brutality of this collage where concrete pillars clashes with raw metal, gravels collides with noisy train sounds…a mineral and raw atmosphere.

The triangular zone of intervention on the site releases itself naturally from the existing constraints.

The result is a concrete piece of cake, a simple 22m high extrusion of that original triangular shape.

The building regroups workshops dedicated to the maintenance of the Parisian subway transportation system that were previously dispersed in different places.

Employees gathers to the building and get prepared before being routed towards damaged rails tracks sites.

Each of the building’s five floors hosts a different activity and program, first floor is a warehouse, the second floor is filled by lockers, the third floor is a classroom, the fourth floor is for management, the fifth floor welcomes a restaurant with a large terrace offering overlooking views towards the Parisian’s ring road.

The five floors of the buildings are arranged and organized around a central convivial staircase.

Click above for larger image

We designed that staircase as an amazing interior procession.

Click above for larger image

All other circulation spaces are designed as playful additions to the building’s main structure: footbridges, staircases and aerial lifts create a multidimensional atmosphere with varied spatial experiences.

Click above for larger image

As the work is hard, the lockers room is designed as a welcoming and release space, where the combination of washbasin, soap dispenser and mirror with a colorized background resembles a friendly smiley.

Click above for larger image

The project is crowned by a contemporary tripod helix.

Click above for larger image

This tripod is in fact a combination of the vertical chimney and the light projectors for car parks and areas surrounding the building.

Click above for larger image

It also helps to heat sanitary water, providing a large area of solar panels.

Click above for larger image

This strong element is a sign of the architect’s engagement to environmental convictions. It proves that the French ‘HQE’ label can also be interpreted with fun.

Click above for larger image

Trough delicate reaction to the site, and careful organization of the circulations and building’s access, we intended to affirm the building as a ‘worker’s palace’ instead of a banal utilitarian building.

Click above for larger image

We could easily imagine the head of this submarine bursting through the ice…

Click above for larger image

Credits : Stephane Maupin / Nicolas Hugon
Year :2010
Collaborators : Jérome Santel, Gwenael Lechapelain
Area : Paris
Photos credits : Cécile Septet

Click above for larger image