Designed by Kanopia Architectures in collaboration with M2H Atelier, the Cité Internationale de la Recherche de Nanterre (CIRN) was formerly the headquarters of a major French company and is a fine example of the conversion of an office building into housing.
Since the beginning of the 2025 academic year, the site has housed nearly 650 young professionals and doctoral students from nearby universities in co-living and student residences. Residents enjoy shared spaces including meeting rooms, a co-working area, a gym, shops and a restaurant.
At the heart of the project is a new, fully glazed steel structure housing a club lounge with a bar and a business incubator. Receptions and evening events can also be held there.
To ensure year-round occupant comfort, the building features Pilkington Suncool™ Q a next-generation high-performance solar control glass range:
Pilkington Suncool Optilam™ Q 70 laminated safety glass used for the façades;
Pilkington Suncool™ Q 50 glass installed on a massive double-sloped glass roof with pitches ranging from 7 to 26°.
The consistent performance of the Pilkington Suncool™ Q range enables different glass products to be used within a single project, achieving optimal energy and light performance based on the orientation of the façades and glass roofs.