Silos 13 / VIB Architecture

Architects: VIB Architecture
Area: 4,478 m²
Year: 2014
Photography: Stéphane Chalmeau, Daniel Moulinet
Lead Architects: Bettina Ballus, Franck Vialet
Design Architects: Antoine Bourdeau, Marlène Bourque, Célia Horn
Construction Architect: Célia Horn
Contractors: Sogea TPI, Ibau Hamburg
Acoustics: Peutz & Associes
Sustainable Certification: BBC-Plan Climat Ville de Paris
Facade Design Consultant: ARCORA
Engineering: Jacobs France, Didier Martin, Ricardo Arias
Construction Coordination: Jacobs France
Client: SEMAPA – CIMENT CALCIA
City: Paris
Country: France

Silos 13, designed by VIB Architecture in Paris, transforms a 4,478 m² industrial cement facility into a sculptural urban structure in the Bruneseau Nord district. Completed in 2014, the project incorporates concrete silos, a lift tower, and a quality control center, using slipforming and prefabricated techniques. Balancing industrial functionality with urban integration, it maintains sustainable rai operations and features polygonal windows and a perforated fence that enhances its architectural character.

The project is located just 5 meters from Paris’s eastern ring road, at the edge of the Zac Rive Gauche development area. Urban studies conducted by Ateliers LION since 2000, along with updated urban regulations in 2010, laid the foundation for the new Bruneseau Nord neighborhood. This district, defined by high-rise buildings and mixed-use programs, demonstrates the synergy between infrastructure and architecture. To facilitate this transformation, the city of Paris relocated Ciments Calcia’s distribution center to a site near Austerlitz station’s railways, with Semapa overseeing the construction of the new facility.

The reimagining of this industrial facility into an urban sculpture aligns seamlessly with Bruneseau Nord’s overarching urban vision.

Three primary conditions influenced the project’s development. First, there was an urban and political ambition to extend the city eastward, with a pedestrian connection linking Paris and Ivry. Second, the project aimed to redevelop a neglected industrial site while preserving industrial operations within the evolving urban fabric. Third, the involvement of Vinci TPI, a civil engineering contractor, brought expertise essential for executing the project’s distinctive structural designs.

The architects conceived the project as a key initial step in transforming Paris’s eastern district. The design emphasized clarity and boldness, addressing its prominent location near Europe’s busiest freeway. Initially proposed as 50-meter-high silos, the project had to adapt to height restrictions that limited the design to 37 meters. To maintain capacity, the silos were widened, requiring careful accommodation of existing networks and spatial constraints without compromising functionality.

The final design strategically positioned the primary silos to maximize site conditions and optimize operational logistics. The quality control center was placed beneath the ring road, while the office building was elevated on pillars along the property’s edge to allow for uninterrupted truck access.

A vertical cylindrical tower containing a stairwell and elevator connects the facility’s components.

Unified by concrete, the silos, office spaces, stair tower, and ground surfaces form a cohesive urban sculpture, showcasing the material’s versatility.

Construction utilized advanced methods, including slipform techniques for the main silos and vertical tower, enabling continuous progress at a rate of 2.5 cm per hour over three weeks. Horizontal silos, prefabricated off-site, were transported and installed within 24 hours each.

To enhance natural light in office and testing areas while preserving the silos’ monolithic character, polygonal windows were introduced. These abstract forms reference the stones used in concrete production, ensuring the design retains visual integrity.

Advanced 3D tools resolved the complex geometries where the windows intersect cylindrical surfaces, while ARCORA, a façade engineering firm, addressed waterproofing and drainage challenges.

The stair tower, visible from the ring road, features openings covered in stainless steel mesh. These apertures expand as the tower rises, creating a striking contrast against the massive silos in the background.

The perimeter fencing balances the need for visual access to industrial activity with the goal of shielding trucks from view, maintaining transparency without disrupting the surrounding urban fabric.

The Silos 13 project reflects a commitment to sustainability. Its proximity to rail and river networks reduces reliance on trucks, significantly lowering environmental impact.