Le Bon Marché

About Le Bon Marché

External atrium shading for heat control of a retail environment

Parisian department store Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche is restored to its former glory and providing the ultimate shopping experience for its visitors.

The historic Le Bon Marché is considered the world’s first department store. At 345,000Sq ft. the space comprises two buildings connected by an elevated glass walkway, situated on the Left Bank in Paris. The elegant structure was originally designed by architect Louis-Charles Boileau and built with engineer Gustav Eiffel.

The last phase of the project included the renovation of the traditionally styled roof lanterns on the second building, where the new face of La Grande Epicerie de Paris is revealed. A double escalator was installed from the ground floor to the first floor echoing the same design in the main store, along with a dome-topped restaurant.

Laubeuf, a leading European constructor of glass roofs and structural glass façades, engaged Guthrie Douglas to design and manufacture a solar shading solution for the roof lanterns, to mitigate heat gain and glare inside the building.

Echoing the original 1852 design, the lanterns include curved glass, slimline mullions, and a delicate supporting structure, presenting challenges in creating a shading solution to provide sufficient solar protection and durability without exerting any significant load onto the structure.

Guthrie Douglas designed bespoke systems to follow the curve of the historic domes without compromising on the clean refurbishment style. Half the systems draw from bottom to top, with the blinds closing towards one another when operated. Fixing brackets were made to measure with a special design to complement the style of the surrounding structure, and a headbox supplied to protect the systems from the elements.

Guthrie Douglas worked with installer, Guermonprez, to fit TESS™ 100 and TESS™ 102 units onto the rooflights, providing specialist installation training and support, and delivering the project on time and on budget in just 8 weeks from design sign-off.

Jim Gregory, Guthrie Douglas Sales Manager said “Historic buildings often present unique challenges. Early involvement with the design team enables us to integrate systems into the surrounding structure, providing an effective shading solution without compromising the design ethos”.

Read more about why an attic conversion in a historic building required innovative double fabric shading.