The Prologis Group called on the architecture for its two new warehousing units which represented a fundamental stake for the image of this firm. A close collaboration between the activity and the architect enabled a quick and economical operation.

Located along the North highway, facing Garonor, this complex is a fully automated dispatching center, which selects and delivers throughout all Europ the handled products.

It reveals an active architecture owing to the mobility of its façades. 40.000 m² are used night ant day in order to cope with all the requirements of an efficient delivery.

The structure made of reinforced concrete great spans enabled to solve within a few months the problems from this place where a great number of employees make easy the dispatching of the parcels. The great reinforced concrete spans constitute portal frames supporting a great span steel roof with hanging shingling

Though quick and economical to build, this building needed a particular treatment of the façades with pannels (of the Pflaum type), which give the pleasant feeling of an harmonious coherence. Moreover, each stairwell, corresponding to the access to the offices, can enjoy a double view, i.e. over the inside as well as over the outside.

A gallery, parallel to the façade, complies with the functional requirements of surveillance. The awnings are supported by steel hangers. This choice, both simple and repetitive, answers the active architecture of the façades, where a flurry of more than 200 trucks coming in and out, disappear through automatic doors in order to carry out the delivery.

Once more, even cheap, an architecture exists which does not let anybody unconcerned. When driving on the highway, the difference is quite obvious : due to its volumes by day, and to its images by night.