Specialist in membrane architecture, seele cover, manufactured and assembled the roof for the Lyon confluence shopping and leisure complex.

22,000sqm

two-layer ETFE cushion roof

lyon confluence shopping & leisure complex - 22,000sqm ETFE cushions

Lyon is known for its annual ”Fête des Lumières”. But now a different body of light has been built on a former industrial site in the district of Confluence, where the Saône flows into the Rhône – the Lyon Confluence leisure and shopping centre. The narrow west end of the elongated plot borders the River Saône. A man-made pool, fed by the river, forms the boundary on the longer northern side.

The site is divided by a railway line parallel with the river, a feature that the architect, Jean Paul Viguier, has used to best effect: to the west of the railway, in the direction of the river, is where the partly open shopping facilities and shopping mall are located; on the eastern, shorter, side there are taller, more compact structures housing leisure facilities such as multiplex cinema, roller dome, indoor climbing arena, etc. Forming a visual link between the two parts is the heart of the design, the enormous illuminated membrane construction, the two parts of which rise above the complex like an umbrella. 

  • The gently curving roof spans the full width of the site on the eastern, narrow, side and tapers towards the river. It also decreases in height in this direction. The result is a truncated cone. The railway line cuts through the seven bays of the membrane roof such that two bays span over the leisure facilities, five over the shopping zone. The roof structure is supported by 36m high steel columns which carry the trussed arches of steel circular hollow sections. Between these, further similar arches run in two diagonal directions.

    On plan the roof is therefore a network of rhombuses and triangles which determine the shapes of the two-layer ETFE cushions by seele cover. The ETFE cushions are framed by aluminium sections on all sides which are fixed to steel channels. These are in turn raised 2m above the arch structure. The LED lighting to the roof – in all the colours of the rainbow – is a spectacular effect. The light from the LEDs mounted on the transverse axes is reflected by a pattern of white dots printed on the underside of the top layer of foil. In order to find the right pattern and colour for the dots, seele carried out large-scale lighting tests outdoors at its headquarters in Gersthofen. So now in the Confluence, the ”Fête des Lumières” can be celebrated every evening.

    Reference overview and Header image: © seele / Matthias Reithmeier

  • All together the Shopping complex received from façade specialist seele a 22,000sqm great two-layer ETFE cushion roof.
  • On the underside of the top layer foil of the membrane roof by seele for the Lyon confluence, a pattern of white dots is printed.
  • The membrane roof structure of Lyon Confluence is supported by 36m high steel columns, manufactured and assembled by seele.
  • The enormous illuminated membrane construction rises above the Lyon Confluence shopping and leisure complex like an umbrella.
  • On plan the roof is a network of rhombuses and triangles which determine the shapes of the two-layer ETFE cushions by seele cover.
  • The Light from the LEDs is reflected by the pattern of white dots printed on the ETFE foil.
  • The LEDs mounted on the transverse axes of the membrane roof of Lyon confluence let it light every evening like at "Fête des Lumières".
  • Two of the membrane bays from façade specialist seele span over the leisure facilities, five over the shopping zone of Lyon Confluence.
All together the Shopping complex received from façade specialist seele a 22,000sqm great two-layer ETFE cushion roof.
© seele / Matthias Reithmeier
On the underside of the top layer foil of the membrane roof by seele for the Lyon confluence, a pattern of white dots is printed.
© seele / Matthias Reithmeier
The membrane roof structure of Lyon Confluence is supported by 36m high steel columns, manufactured and assembled by seele.
© seele / Matthias Reithmeier
The enormous illuminated membrane construction rises above the Lyon Confluence shopping and leisure complex like an umbrella.
© seele / Matthias Reithmeier
On plan the roof is a network of rhombuses and triangles which determine the shapes of the two-layer ETFE cushions by seele cover.
© seele / Matthias Reithmeier
The Light from the LEDs is reflected by the pattern of white dots printed on the ETFE foil.
© seele / Matthias Reithmeier
The LEDs mounted on the transverse axes of the membrane roof of Lyon confluence let it light every evening like at "Fête des Lumières".
© seele / Matthias Reithmeier
Two of the membrane bays from façade specialist seele span over the leisure facilities, five over the shopping zone of Lyon Confluence.
© seele / Matthias Reithmeier

Credits

Client Unibail-Rodamco
General contractor PITANCE (Vinci) / SOLGEC (Eiffage)
Architect Jean Paul Viguier
Engineer ARCORA
Date of completion 2011
Scope of work by seele
  • 22,000sqm double layer ETFE-cushions
  • Dimension of the cushions: 22m x 5m
  • Thickness of ETFE-film: 250μm