Folies

Definition of the operation   As part of the development of the new landscape identity of Castorama stores, the firm asked us to design a series of objects called the “Folies”. A set of prototypes will be the company’s head office while 2 others will be for the outdoor spaces of the stores of Angoulême and Antibes. The whole has been integrated to the landscape plan developed by AC&T [Paysage et Territoire].   The work has been done in several stages. A first phase consisted of developing a system of modular construction and 4 prototypes. During the second phase, the system was adapted to the site of Angoulême and Antibes. The feedback of the various locations allowed us to improve the system for the purpose of a possible mass-production of the components.   The work, in close collaboration with the landscape architects for the locations of the Folies, consisted of enhancing the oudoor areas of existing stores.   Program   The Folies are micro-projects that have various possible layouts thanks to the constructive principle. They are realized from a system in square steel tubes, which is modular, long-lasting and based on the dimensions of a parking lot (2,5×5,0 meters).   • The Signs are above all communication supports. • The Shelters are covered spaces. • The Kiosks are covered and closed spaces, open to the store’s staff. • The Pavilions are covered and closed spaces, destined to the public.   • The Signs allow the clients to find their way while offering a playful aspect to their itinerary. They are covered in tensioned textile fabrics and bears the messages and advertisements of the firm : Welcome Folie (Welcome & See you soon messages, Kakemono Folie (bears the banners of the company), Tutor Folie (a structure for the growth of plants) and Connected Folie (Wi-Fi spot). • The Shelters are covered spaces destined to protect the carts,       vehicules or visitors. 6 models were developed in a first time : Cart Folie, Pause Folie, Beehive Folie, Grazing Folie, 2-wheels Folie and Electric-car Folie. • The Kiosks are closed and covered spaces the can host various functions. 3 models were developed in a first time : Showcase Folie, “Guinguette” Folie and Materials Check-out Folie. • The Pavilions are closed and covered spaces destined to the public. 2 models were developed: Casto-Drive (a collection point of items bought online) and Casto-Lab (training facility for the amateur constructors).   Other models were developed in order to answer specific demands of each of the site, like a support for green facades.   Development of the Folies   The design process was divided into three stages :   • Prototypes Construction of a scale 1:1 prototype, then on a set of 4 models to master the manufacturing process. 1 prototype showing variations of all the components of the system was installed on the company’s headquarters in Templemars. • Small set It comprises all the models that were installed on the site of Angoulême and Antibes. These operations allowed to define the construction process and the setup conditions of the models. • Large set The large set was defined from the detail drawings developed with the companies that built the prototypes. • Development of the software and the industrial process After the work done for the Large set, all the components and derived models were modelled on a BIM-compatible software. This solution allows, in the end, the client to spread the Folies on all of his sites. It is also possible to put in place a specific application to the Folies. A construction process can also be developed and set up in order to optimize the economy of the project.