Construction of the ALCO2 Extension

At the northern edge of Montpellier, the Alco site stretches between ring roads, rolling hills and umbrella pines. The extension of the Departmental Council headquarters expands the existing administrative complex with three new office buildings set atop a parking podium. The project continues the comb-like urban layout established by the original development while asserting a renewed urban frontage.

The new buildings adopt the scale and structural rhythm of the existing ensemble, yet introduce a distinct material expression. The raw concrete base is complemented by a deep red render, a vibrant reference to the Ruffe soils of the Haut-Languedoc region. The architecture embraces a strong territorial identity through a clear, compact and expressive tectonic language. A powerful prefabricated arcade, sculpted in mass, supports the upper floors and engages in dialogue with the open galleries of the neighbouring building. It forms an inhabited plinth accommodating parking facilities, services and landscaped edges.

Inside, the office floors are designed for flexibility, supporting a diversity of work settings and shared spaces. Natural light filters through timber shutters and adjustable external louvers. Thermal mass and night-time natural ventilation are integrated as passive environmental strategies, forming the project’s environmental framework.

The building weaves together urban, constructive and institutional continuity. It establishes a presence without monumentality, integrates into the landscape without dominating it, and expresses an institution firmly connected to its territory.