Synapses, France’s first 100% modular wood building, for Paris La Défense in Courbevoie

Paris La Défense’s ambition with this call for projects is to become the world’s first post-carbon business district. The joint venture between GA Smart Building and Pitch Immo, in association with Atelier(s) Alfonso Femia, is transforming a 2,800 m² plot of land on a highly constrained site to the north of the La Défense esplanade.

The land, situated at the junction of the business district and Courbevoie, was formerly occupied by a car park ramp, an embankment, the retaining structure for Boulevard Patrick-Devedjian and a cycle path. Synapses’ innovative architectural and urban design will help to improve the entrance to Courbevoie.

The 8,000 m² complex will be France’s first 100% modular wood high-rise, standing 49 metres high.

The ground floor will include a 2,000 m² active base, which will accommodate the following facilities over two levels:

• A food court
• A gym
• A mini-market
• The town’s multi-purpose hall
• A bakery

On the upper floors, 6,000 m² will be used by Colonies, a leading provider of coliving accommodation in France.

The project will help to liven up this diverse neighbourhood and encourage a dynamic flow of traffic between the garden path, the paved square and the ring road.

Synapses has solid environmental ambitions.  Working with the Elioth design office, the group set a very high standard for environmental excellence, starting at the design stage: bioclimatic comfort, integration of air treatment modules in the facades, use of bio-sourced materials, 30% re-use of materials, greening of 3,250 m² of space despite the constraints of the site, etc. Thanks to all these measures, Synapses will be in line with the RE2020, at the 2028 threshold.

GA Smart Building’s industrial, off-site construction approach, complemented its subsidiary Ossabois’s modular 3D wood construction solution, will enable completion of the 8,000 m² project on a highly constrained site in a record time of just 17 months.

GA Group controls every stage of the project, from FullBIM modelling, through the production of the 3D wood modules in Ossabois factories, ultra-low-carbon concrete in the PREGA factories, comfort equipment in the Equilab plant, and basement joinery in the Paquet Fontaine plant, to their on-site assembly.

This construction method ensures quality construction and tight deadlines while minimising the site’s environmental impact and disruption to local residents.