In 2021, the Arboretum , the largest office complex built entirely of wood in Europe, will be built in Nanterre. A total of 126,000m² of brownfield land has been converted into a new concept of ecological offices. For a tour, this way please!

What will be the components of a bio-designed office building? Surprise: In the future, the most daring constructions might be made of wood. In any case, it is the gamble taken by BNP Paribas Real Estate that decided to use this material to design the tertiary campus “L’Arboretum de Nanterre-la-Défense”, a large-scale operation spread over five 6-storey buildings in a sizeable 9-hectare park.

The Arboretum project, carried out in partnership with Woodeum, a specialist in wood building development, is expected to start next year. Developing a “new concept of ecological offices” (bio-climatic design of the building, solid wood construction, production of renewable energy…), Arboretum participates in the conversion of 125,000m² of industrial wasteland of the former Papeteries de la Seine. This is the largest solid wood complex under construction in the world.

Canopy promotion

In buildings with generous terraces, the floors – from 1,000 to 7,000m²  – are designed to be entirely modular. “The wood structure is simple to convert. Thanks to this material, the buildings are easily reversible and are part of an eco-responsible approach“, comments BNP Paribas Real Estate. And apparently, that is what customers are looking for nowadays. Wood is an integral part of the main work and the infrastructure elements: support pillars and columns (in laminated-glued) of the slabs of the floors, staircases, the furnishings of ceilings. Their high luminosity and transparency will also characterise these buildings.

Designed to be as close to nature as possible, the campus will also feature an arboretum made up of 600 rare species, a canal and a 600m reed bed, a vegetable garden, an organic orchard, and a 40km health trail. The project will also offer an amphitheatre of greenery that can accommodate up to 600 people as well as patios, work bubbles or simple lawns to meet, work, exchange. Works will start in 2019, with the first delivery in 2021.

Tags: Arboretum, BNP Paribas Real Estate, green offices, Nanterre, wood building