Welcome to the grand tour
Rising 180 metres above Paris’s La Défense business district, Saint-Gobain Tower is a beacon of light, sustainable construction. This global HQ acts as a showcase for the group’s products and solutions while creating a comfortable and versatile workspace for thousands of international employees.
Saint-Gobain Tower is the world’s first building to obtain the top sustainable certifications from HQE, LEED and BREEAM. It requires 40 per cent less energy to operate than a standard office building.
Sustainability is key to Saint-Gobain Tower. Lead architect Denis Valode views the building as a “demonstrator”, incorporating more than 80 of the group’s products. It remains a work-in-progress: components can be removed and replaced, with a double-skin façade accessible from inside and out. “A building must adapt to a company’s rhythm, not the other way around,” says Thomas Peranzi, the tower’s operations director.
1.
Flooded with natural light, the tower’s lobby sets the tone for a building that prioritises wellbeing and comfort. High Ecophon ceilings enhance acoustics and allow fresh air to circulate.
2.
The public showroom blends history with innovation. Interactive displays reveal the benefits of solutions, from heatproof glass to plasterboard that absorbs air pollution.
3.
The offices are modular, allowing easy customisation of layouts. For example, the meeting rooms on floor 5 were adapted to suit new post-pandemic working patterns.
4.
From this level up, every floor has wind-sheltered, accessible terrace gardens, which are hydrated with reused rainwater.
5.
Energy consumption is being constantly refined. In 2023, the tower recorded a 21 per cent reduction, saving €2m.
6.
On the 37th floor is espace plein ciel, a stunning event space shrouded in SageGlass that controls light transmission. Panoramic city views take in other landmark structures that utilise Saint-Gobain products including the Eiffel Tower.
