Posted by Elisa Sacchi - 26 September, 2018
Historic buildings are an integral part of a city. Their refurbishment helps to maintain an area’s character and strengthen its townscape of architectural landmarks, benefitting the building’s owners, its users and the public alike. The Couvent des Jacobins in Rennes, France, is an example of refurbishment successfully blending old and new architecture within one building where MasterTop flooring solutions have been applied.
Founded in 1369, from the 14th to the 21st century, the Couvent des Jacobins has had many different lives and functions. It was created as a convent, a place of pilgrimage and religious influence and a symbol of political power. By the 20th century, the use of the Couvent had changed radically, and it served first as army barracks, then as a club holding both sporting and cultural activities. Now, after its most recent restoration in 2017 by architects Jean Guervilly and Françoise Mauffret, the Couvent has once again taken up its ancient role as a crossroads dedicated to meeting and exchange.
The difficult balance between the legacy of the past and change of use
If, on the one hand, restoration offers the opportunity to combine all the benefits of contemporary construction with historic features – often of very high architectural and cultural value – on the other hand, such projects always bring the risk of disrupting a building’s context and materials.
In this respect, the Couvent des Jacobins project was no exception. In fact, the challenges faced by the architects in transforming this historic building into a technologically advanced conference centre were numerous, starting with the design of a new concept for the internal structures, and the need to use high-performing new materials and implement audio and communication equipment.
Thanks to the solutions used, the Couvent des Jacobins now offers two auditoriums, an exhibition area of 4,000m² and 25 modular rooms flowing one into one another to ensure a very easy and natural way to move and explore the space. All areas are also equipped with the latest technology to ensure optimal acoustic performance, for conferences as well as concerts.
Flooring solution
Here, MasterTop flooring solutions came into play. To bring the architects’ vision of a place that could be easily shaped and adapted according to the specific needs of each event to life, the flooring solution needed to be seamless, durable and able to withstand the wear and tear typical of high-traffic areas.
Two MasterTop flooring systems were applied in different areas of the building. MasterTop 1730 was used in the parking area created in the basement, as it provides extreme mechanical resistance to wheeled traffic and is permeable to water vapour, making it an effective solution for humid environments. MasterTop 1324 was selected for the zone including the auditoriums, exhibition area and meeting rooms, thanks to its highly aesthetic appearance, robustness and ability to meet several environmental regulations. MasterTop 1324 is A+ rated in the Building Research Establishment (BRE)’s Green Guide and can therefore be used designing the most sustainable buildings which are BREEAM certified. As with all MasterTop flooring products, MasterTop 1324 carries the DGNB Navigator Label), as certified by Eurofins Scientific and AgBB (German Committee for the Health Assessment of Construction Products).
For more information about our decorative MasterTop flooring systems, please visit our website https://purefloor-design.master-builders-solutions.com/
