Working with the Existing
Ubisoft new site in Bordeaux draws from a rich historical and architectural context. The project is located on a former industrial site and integrates the urban principles of MVRDV’s master plan, where facades fold into rooftops, flooding narrow streets with light. Mirroring the unique identity of Ubisoft that blends the agility of a modern startup with the scale of a global enterprise, the design embraces the proportions of the original hangars: a 200-meter-long structure divided by an interior street. The southern side houses production spaces, while the northern side fosters conviviality.
Tailored design
Inside the existing steel structure, the preserved hall becomes a dynamic bioclimatic space connected to all office areas. Fully glazed, this interior-exterior environment functions like a greenhouse. Advanced thermodynamic studies informed the design, enabling a virtuous system: heat generated by workstations warms the space in winter, while natural ventilation and high-performance air circulators cool it in summer. This ensures year-round thermal comfort without relying on air conditioning.
Spatial Experience
Under the preserved hall, a triple-height interior garden forms the heart of Ubisoft Bordeaux. Bathed in natural light and evoking a tropical ambiance, this space invites relaxation, interaction, and productivity. Employees can gather to work, eat, or meet, individually or in groups, within an atmosphere that seamlessly blends nature and design. The steel structure supports the glazed roof and shading devices, offering a bioclimatic retreat at the core of the site.
Structure as an immutable foundation
Production areas span three levels, crowned by a rooftop terrace. The structure relies on concrete porticoes, supporting floors made of laminated timber panels reinforced with a compression slab. This configuration delivers stability and efficiency while achieving spans of 8 meters.
Raw material aesthetics
Material choices honor the industrial heritage of the site. Steel enables lightness and daring spans, while glass provides transparency and openness. Brick from the original hall’s facades was carefully dismantled, sorted, and reused as sun shading elements on the new facade, creating a seamless dialogue between past and present.
