Danone headquarters in Rueil-Malmaison by Ory Architecture

In January, ORY Architecture inaugurated Danone's new headquarters in Rueil-Malmaison, in the Hauts-de-Seine département, right next to the RER station. Built by Eiffage, the 25,253 m² project took two years to complete and cost €63 million.

Located on rue des Deux Gares, Danone's largest headquarters adopts curved forms that wrap around a central garden designed by A&J. The seven-storey building rises above a ground floor housing a bike store, the staff restaurant and a café. The timber-clad reception area seeks to shake off the image of the office by borrowing from the vocabulary of hospitality.

Danone headquarters in Rueil-Malmaison by Ory Architecture – © ORY Architecture — © ORY Architecture

On the upper floors, collaborative working is encouraged through meeting spaces as well as individual booths. The top level houses an auditorium with a 240 m² exhibition room showcasing Danone's products during client receptions.

Philippe Amiotte, Danone's property director, explains: “Convergence fully embodies this new generation of headquarters that Danone wishes to offer its employees: a high-quality working environment, with spaces that foster better collaboration, in a convivial spirit.”

Danone headquarters in Rueil-Malmaison by Ory Architecture – © Didier Pazery — © Didier Pazery

On the upper floors, the façade conceals the structural supports so as to show only bands of glass, set off by the plinths. The first two levels, however, catch the passer-by's eye through the V-shaped columns, which create an undulation in the façade over two storeys. Like the façade, these columns are clad in white metal elements. The building's signage is also relatively discreet, which contributes to its urban integration.

Danone headquarters in Rueil-Malmaison by Ory Architecture – © Antoine Mercusot — © Antoine Mercusot

White, Danone's colour

It is interesting to note how well Ory Architecture's project matches its client's brand. Danone's mission is to bring health through food to as many people as possible. It is therefore no surprise that the group's headquarters adopts the colour white. It evokes purity, and by extension the nutritional quality of the brand's products. Moreover, the continuous bands of windows suggest that there is nothing to hide, no grey areas. Finally, the sheen of the pearlescent aluminium façades conjures up an image of research and development.