A new building on the left bank of the Seine, downstream of the center of Rouen, houses the administration of the Rouen-Normandy metropolis, an association created for inter-communal cooperation within the metropolitan area. There are nineteen such metropolises in France today, among them - Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux, Strasbourg. Rouen-Normandy includes 71 communes, including Rouen itself.
Jacques Ferrier's structure stands out among the horizontal structures in the harbor around it with its glass facade and height; at the same time, its diagonal outlines are designed to remind of harbor cranes and bows of ships. It complies with the PassivHaus standard and laid the foundation for the future eco-district and park. Well visible from afar, the headquarters of the metropolis has already become a landmark of the city - along with the famous cathedral and
the bridge of Gustave Flaubert with its original silhouette.
The multi-colored facade of glass "scales" is inspired by the canvases of the Impressionists, primarily by the numerous images of the Rouen Cathedral by Claude Monet. Simplified to five tones, they became the basis for the color scheme of the facade. A paint based on metal oxides was applied to the "flakes" from the outside, giving them an iridescent tint; from the inside, the panorama of the city and the river is visible without any color "impurities". At the level of the roof, glass gives way to solar panels of different shades.
In the middle of the building, a kind of "gorge" has been created, supplying the interior with natural light; on separate levels it expands to a terrace, and another terrace is located on the roof. The double façade protects the premises from the heat of the sun. The construction budget was 25 million euros.
