In the heart of Monaco, the Société des Bains de Mer commissioned setec to design boutiques to house luxury brands with the requirement to keep the weight to a minimum. setec met this challenge with a minimalist structure that reduces material usage.
Adnane Berrazeg, Head of the Structural Engineering Department, setec bâtiment and Vincent Baumann, Senior Engineer, setec building
In 2014 in Monaco, the renovation of the Hôtel de Paris meant that about twenty prestigious boutiques had to be relocated to temporary pavilions in the historic Jardin des Boulingrins. The problem was that the site was situated on a car park that could not bear excessive loads. “We also had to take into account the logistical challenges of Monaco’s city centre, where deliveries could only be made using small utility vehicles,” adds Adnane Berrazeg, Head of the Structural Engineering Department at setec bâtiment.
To create the futuristic pavilions designed by Affine Design, setec used 3D parametric geometry tools. The engineers designed a lightweight shell, made of thin sheet metal, insulated and clad in aluminium scales. This structure is prefabricated in the form of easily transportable sections (2m wide by 2 to 10m long) that simply need to be assembled on site.
“The limitations of the construction site meant that material had to be used efficiently: the very shape of the hulls enhances their mechanical performance. “We took the minimalist approach a step further by leaving the structure visible from inside the boutiques, using high-quality finishing materials,” explains Vincent Baumann, senior engineer at setec bâtiment.