Caserne de Bonne Shopping Center, Grenoble, France

A naturally ventilated mall - no heating, no air-conditionning - with well insulated external façades and an internal envelope that encourages thermal exchanges with the shops. South orientated, it is closed in winter, heated by the sun. In summertime, the doors open allowing natural ventilation. A wooden-structured mall with European tree species only (concrete is used for the superstructure only), this is the first commercial centre of this kind in France. Other sustainable measures include 1000 sq m of solar panels and an air-conditionning system using the ground water (between 13 and 15 °C). In addition, half of the pluvial rains are absorbed thanks to an infiltration trench, and the rain drops are regulated thanks to the green roofs (holding of 55mm of water, i.e. 68% of the decennial rains, i.e. 80mm over 24h)

 

Embrassing the ZAC sustainable regeneration, the centre is designed like a green city quarter. From the material used, the parking, the terrasses by the park, the covered and uncovered streets and squares, the service, to the bioclimatic mechanism, everything belongs together. The mall is a green, fresh and welcoming luminous volume permanently connected to the park and the street. Large glass vitrines, places and restaurant terraces extend these open views while the timber louvers and glass roofs let the natural light infiltrate this shopping promenade. More than a commercial space, the "Caserne" is a place.

Luxury Hotel on Meskheti Range

The breathtakingly scenic setting of the Meskheti Mountain Range in Georgia is to become home to a new luxury spa hotel, as designs by Henning Larsen Architects with consulting engineers Buro Happold stole first prize in an international competition for the new Aghobili Hotel.

Guests to the 22,000 sq m, 200 room hotel will be able to relax and unwind surrounded by some of the country's most picturesque landscapes, taking in the fresh clean air in the isolated location of Abastumani at the entrance to the Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park. Modern conference facilities are coupled with a sumptuous spa complex, complete with a large pool that runs over the edge of a terrace, allowing guests to immerse themselves in the surrounding flora.

Anders Park, Project Manager at Henning Larsen Architects explains: "The conceptual design of the new Aghobili Hotel is rooted in the rich history and stunning landscape of Abastumani. The hotel has a discrete expression and appears as a natural extension of the landscape. Each room will have an uninterrupted view of the magnificent Meskheti Range."