Started in July 2019, the work to extend the Abbey of Sainte-Madeleine du Barroux reached an important milestone in August 2020: the end of the main structure. Atypical, this project is in several ways: it includes 2 extensions, which must respect the architecture already present of the buildings, as well as the tranquility of the place of worship and its inhabitants.
Signed in June 2019 in Le Barroux, the work of this project, which covers 5,200 m² of floor area, started in July with a network devolution phase. This phase was necessary for the continuation of the work: the Abbey had a sprawling network that was located on the right-of-way of the buildings, which had to be devolved to be able to start serenely the phase of earthworks.
The main part of the southern extension, which will house the infirmary and a new library, was completed last May by our operational teams, and in parallel, work on the northern extension had begun. The construction of this part of the project was completed in August, thanks to the tireless investment of our on-site teams. It will house a space dedicated to the hotel industry, the visiting room, the dormitories, the bakery and a product sales area in which rehabilitation and expansion work has been undertaken.
A cockpit room with a 3D screen has been installed on this site, to facilitate discussions during meetings and to work directly on shared digital plans, in BIM format (Building Information Modeling).
This operation is atypical: the contracting authority is more involved and present than a usual contracting authority. His daily presence on the site of the works requires a greater adaptation than on a classical site, because they are carried out on the place of life of the monastic community. In order to preserve the tranquility that prevailed before the start of the work, our teams do not work during the meridian nap, and limit the noise constraints during the day.
In terms of architecture, Archi et Associés designed the project for the Association Monastère Sainte Madeleine. The green space section was designed by CEZAE. The southern extension is modelled on the existing monastery and consists of a 25 cm thick stone lining. The idea is to make a connection with the current building without it leaving the place. The northern extension, mainly dedicated to mail order sales, will have plaster facades like the existing store on which it just connects, while the southern extension was carried out in the facade of quarry stones in the lining of reinforced concrete walls.
The project was designed to meet the objectives of the RT2012, a regulation that attests to the building’s energy performance, scheduled for delivery in early 2021.
In July, our CEO Benoît de Ruffray went to the construction site and exchanged with the monastic community during a visit.