Head office of the Moroccan Interprofessional Pension Fund (CIMR) in Casa Anfa, Casablanca.
The whole is built on a plot of 1450 m2, includes on the ground floor, the reception, a 200-seat auditorium, an exhibition gallery and on the following 14 floors, a company restaurant with 200 seats, a daycare centre, 50 closed offices, 20 landscaped offices, 12 meeting rooms. The top two floors are reserved for plenary rooms and executive offices which have a dining room, a conference room, a private lounge and a landscaped terrace at the top of the tower. The complex benefits from 4 levels of underground parking.
D.L.2.A has designed a set with soft curved shapes to enhance the reassuring image of a pension fund and the combination of three interlocking towers of different sizes symbolize the intergenerational aspect of society. These volumes are also perfectly in line with the corner of the two main avenues in harmony with the outdoor facilities and the flows of this intersection where landscaped rest areas have been set up on the esplanade, horizontally accompanying the dynamics of the towers.
The towers are enveloped in a double skin in white perforated aluminum sheet like a veil starting at ground level and giving a glimpse of the lair of the glazed tower up to the 3rd level in a set of drapes which reveals the spaces of reception and the art gallery on the ground floor. The white color which is part of the origin of the color codes of Casablanca contributes with the curves of the double skin to create a play of shadow and light and to give at the same time the same reassuring image of softness, generosity and stability than that of society.
The interior facade, spaced 85 cm from the double skin, is made up of full-height double glazing, which facilitates maintenance of the facades.
From the inside, this skin acts as a solar filter, reducing the rate of sunshine by 60% while leaving a full view of the landscape.
Themes of Moroccan craftsmanship are available in the project in a contemporary way: wooden trellises for the restaurant area, chiseled Tadelakt for the entrance hall and the management office, inverted zellige mosaic for the backstage of the auditorium, contemporary Gebs behind the reception desk. The perforation of the sheet metal of the facade reproduces graphically and in simplified language the logo of the CIMR.
The realization of a building that respects the environment and consumes little energy is a priority for Casablanca and is also an integral part of the design of the D.L.2.A agency.
Natural lighting is one of the most important factors in workspaces. The shape of the buildings and the southern orientation of the large tower allow optimal natural lighting for the office floors. Activities that do not require direct natural light, such as the auditorium, computer rooms and technical spaces are placed in the heart of the tower or in the basement.
The local climate and the orientation of the building allowed the installation on the roof terraces, not accessible to the public, of photovoltaic solar panels which take up a small part of the energy consumption of the offices.
The double skin in perforated lacquered sheet metal plays an essential role in the thermal behavior of the building. In summer, it reduces direct solar gain, avoiding UV storage and eliminating the greenhouse effect, thus minimizing the use of air conditioning throughout the building.
The low-emissivity multiplex double glazing facades contribute to the action of the double skin in terms of comfort for users and minimize the use of artificial air conditioning. These can open the windows during the day, in particular to create cross ventilation on the large office floors.
The landscaped environment has planned planters that incorporate seats whose shapes accompany the curves of the project at the level of the intersection of the two boulevards by creating a small square planted with trees, embellished with a sculpture at the level of the main entrance. A wooded public park and a museum adjoin the project.
The project has received the HQE Excellent level label (certified by CERWAY)
Photographer : Geraldine Bruneel