The renovation project for building V located at 1, rue Miollis has been launched. This is the opportunity to discover the architectural characteristics of this building, while clarifying the reasons behind the renovation.

Built on land initially acquired by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ceded to UNESCO, for a symbolic rent and under a 84-year lease, Building V was built between 1966 and 1969. The Architect Bernard Zehrfuss, also involved in the design of the Fontenoy site, and the designer builder Jean Prouvé designed the building, while the garden was designed by the landscape designer André de Vilmorin.

The building consists of a lower part and an upper part. The low-rise building, pierced by patios, includes the Ground Floor and three basement levels, which house a conference room, offices, a gymnasium, a cafeteria, technical rooms and a 120-space car park. The upper part, called the office building, has eight floors, which house 548 offices for Delegations from 110 countries.

Jean Prouvé's imprint is visible mainly in the metal frame and facade panels of the office building. The facade is a remarkable work due to its innovative technology, with its prefabricated panels in lacquered steel sheets and sunshade gratings. In addition, the entrance hall is also remarkable for its triangulated metal structure made of sheet metal work and for the works of art it houses, namely the sculptures by Jesùs-Rafael Soto and the lamps by the master glassmaker Max Ingrand.

Taking into account these architectural characteristics, the renovation project aims to improve the environmental sustainability of the building and its quality for users. Indeed, the renovation has the following priorities:

• Ensure people’s safety, in particular the fire safety of the entire building. The fire resistance of the entire structure, in particular the primary metal structure of the eight-storey building (by flocking and / or enclosures) will be fully reviewed. The fire safety system will also be completely renovated.
• Increase the comfort of interior spaces, in particular acoustic comfort and air quality, while maintaining the modularity of the offices.
• Intervene on sanitary issues such as the potential asbestos removal of floors, walls and ceilings as well as lead removal of metal frames
• Ensure the waterproofing and insulation of the facade while respecting the architectural design of the building, updating it to the energy efficiency criteria necessary to obtain the BBCR 2009 label (Low Consumption Building Renovation).
• Optimize consumption as well as the regular maintenance of the building in connection with obtaining the BBCR 2009 label through the replacement of all production installations and equipment, and distribution networks.

The entire project should be carried out over a period of 5 years: one year for studies and 4 years for works. It is envisaged that the works will be organized in three major phases linked to the architectural design of the building.