Motorway service station A63 Cestas Ouest, Bordeaux | France
The Cestas West service station is located on the Sud de Bordeaux and Nord de l’Aquitaine motorway slip roads on the A63 motorway, a busy transport axis, which provides an important link between Northern Europe and the Iberian peninsula. The service station provides travellers with a SHELL petrol station and store building, a regional speciality store and a SIGHOR restaurant.
FACTS
Project Aire de service - SHELL CESTAS OUEST
Place A63 motorway - 33610 Cestas Ouest
Construction 2017
Client ARTELIA
Architecture ACI-SECC CHARPENTIER Bois & Metall + Bardage MERLOT SAS
Material use 120 m³ binderholz CLT BBS, 40 m³ glulam GLT and 1500 m² 3 layer solid wood panels
Project
The “Aire de service - Cestas Ouest” is located in the “Landes de Gascogne” nature reserve, the largest contiguous area of forest in Western Europe and a region shaped by the timber industry and tourism. Against this background, those involved with the design of the service station quickly came to a consensus regarding the execution of the project to reflect the characteristics and dynamism of this region.
Implementation
The ACI firm of architects designed a monolithic building made of timber and glass, the elongated timber façade of which reflects the appearance of a forest edge. The shape of the wooden elements serve as a “wooden curtain” for the glazed front, which, thanks to the optimum ingress of sunlight and views, transforms the space into a place for socialising and meeting, play, discussion, buying and relaxation. 120 m3 binderholz CLT BBS, 40 m3 glulam GLT and 1500 m2 3 layer solid wood panels were used for the timber construction and interior fit-out.
Photos: © binderholz
