Exalto
Exalto
Exalto
Office · Urbanism
Office · Urbanism
Program
Located on Plot E in the developing Chantepie district near Rennes, the project called for a seven-storey mixed-use office building capable of accommodating multiple tenants, changing workplace formats, and varied leasing configurations.
The brief was defined by a negotiation between urban presence and regulatory precision: visibility from the southern highway, a measured relationship to the surrounding residential fabric, required parking ratios, mandated green coverage, and flexible office floorplates all had to be absorbed within one compact architectural volume.
Client
Kermarrec Promotion
Location
Chantepie(Rennes), France
Surface
7500 m²
Date Started
2020
Project Status
Construction Commencing in 2026
Architecture/Design
By Atelier Arcau
Role
Design Architect | Architectural team member
Other Partners
Ouest Structures
Rights/Credit
Project rights remain with the respective office/client
Urban Threshold
Urban Threshold
“Architecture must negotiate the changing rhythms of world shifts, bridging the velocity of transit with the evolving health of a community.”
The post-COVID landscape reshaped the geography of work, strengthening the role of well-connected mid-capital cities that combine quality of life with high-speed access to Paris. Located at the threshold of Rennes, Exalto responds to this shift by positioning the office not as an isolated business object, but as an urban anchor between Chantepie’s residential fabric and the southern highway infrastructure.
The building therefore operates at two scales: as a visible marker from movement, and as a calibrated volume within a growing urban district.
“Architecture must negotiate the changing rhythms of world shifts, bridging the velocity of transit with the evolving health of a community.”
The post-COVID landscape reshaped the geography of work, strengthening the role of well-connected mid-capital cities that combine quality of life with high-speed access to Paris. Located at the threshold of Rennes, Exalto responds to this shift by positioning the office not as an isolated business object, but as an urban anchor between Chantepie’s residential fabric and the southern highway infrastructure.
The building therefore operates at two scales: as a visible marker from movement, and as a calibrated volume within a growing urban district.
Drawings: © Atelier Arcau
Drawings: © Atelier Arcau
Plot Logic & Urban Constraints
Plot Logic & Urban Constraints
Plot Logic & Urban Constraints
The site forms part of a larger development parcel structured by multiple lots, access routes, parking fields, landscaped setbacks, and regulatory green surfaces. Before the building could emerge as a formal object, it had to absorb a precise urban and technical framework.
The diagrams study the relationship between plot boundaries, vehicular access, parking distribution, pedestrian movement, visibility, and neighbouring volumes. Within this constrained field, the office building begins to take form as a compact volume balancing buildable surface, landscape obligation, urban frontage, and future workplace flexibility.
The requirement for substantial parking, bicycle facilities, planted terraces, and green roofs turns the ground condition into a logistical and environmental problem as much as an urban one. The architectural task is therefore not only to place a building on the plot, but to organise access, density, landscape, and workplace identity into one coherent site strategy.
The site forms part of a larger development parcel structured by multiple lots, access routes, parking fields, landscaped setbacks, and regulatory green surfaces. Before the building could emerge as a formal object, it had to absorb a precise urban and technical framework.
The diagrams study the relationship between plot boundaries, vehicular access, parking distribution, pedestrian movement, visibility, and neighbouring volumes. Within this constrained field, the office building begins to take form as a compact volume balancing buildable surface, landscape obligation, urban frontage, and future workplace flexibility.
The requirement for substantial parking, bicycle facilities, planted terraces, and green roofs turns the ground condition into a logistical and environmental problem as much as an urban one. The architectural task is therefore not only to place a building on the plot, but to organise access, density, landscape, and workplace identity into one coherent site strategy.
The site forms part of a larger development parcel structured by multiple lots, access routes, parking fields, landscaped setbacks, and regulatory green surfaces. Before the building could emerge as a formal object, it had to absorb a precise urban and technical framework.
The diagrams study the relationship between plot boundaries, vehicular access, parking distribution, pedestrian movement, visibility, and neighbouring volumes. Within this constrained field, the office building begins to take form as a compact volume balancing buildable surface, landscape obligation, urban frontage, and future workplace flexibility.
The requirement for substantial parking, bicycle facilities, planted terraces, and green roofs turns the ground condition into a logistical and environmental problem as much as an urban one. The architectural task is therefore not only to place a building on the plot, but to organise access, density, landscape, and workplace identity into one coherent site strategy.
Cascading Volume & Measured Landscape
Cascading Volume & Measured Landscape
The building is composed as two related volumes rather than a single corporate mass. Their separation allows light, landscape, and terraces to enter the depth of the project, while giving the office complex a more porous relationship with its surroundings.
The stepped form is not only a formal gesture. It responds to the site’s required green-cover ratio, where planted ground, roof surfaces, and terraces contribute differently to the overall landscape calculation. Full-earth planting carries a higher value, while planted terraces and roof areas contribute through weighted coefficients.
This measured landscape strategy shaped the footprint, setbacks, terraces, and roofscape. By absorbing the required minimum green cover into the massing logic, the project transforms a regulatory constraint into an architectural system of open-air workspaces, planted edges, and softened urban presence.
The building is composed as two related volumes rather than a single corporate mass. Their separation allows light, landscape, and terraces to enter the depth of the project, while giving the office complex a more porous relationship with its surroundings.
The stepped form is not only a formal gesture. It responds to the site’s required green-cover ratio, where planted ground, roof surfaces, and terraces contribute differently to the overall landscape calculation. Full-earth planting carries a higher value, while planted terraces and roof areas contribute through weighted coefficients.
This measured landscape strategy shaped the footprint, setbacks, terraces, and roofscape. By absorbing the required minimum green cover into the massing logic, the project transforms a regulatory constraint into an architectural system of open-air workspaces, planted edges, and softened urban presence.
Drawings: Developed by Aayush Jindal . Employment under © Atelier Arcau
Drawings: Developed by Aayush Jindal . Employment under © Atelier Arcau
Drawings: Developed by Aayush Jindal . Employment under © Atelier Arcau
Level-by-Level Stratigraphy
Level-by-Level Stratigraphy
Level-by-Level Stratigraphy
The GIF unpacks the building as a layered vertical system, from the partially embedded parking level to the ground floor, office plates, terraces, and roofscape.
Each level follows the same organisational logic — cores, flexible floorplates, facade rhythm, and outdoor extensions — while gradually shifting to form the cascading volume. The terraces are not added after the massing; they emerge from the floor-by-floor recession of the building.
The sequence reveals how access, parking, workplace flexibility, green cover, and roof infrastructure are absorbed into one compact section.
The GIF unpacks the building as a layered vertical system, from the partially embedded parking level to the ground floor, office plates, terraces, and roofscape.
Each level follows the same organisational logic — cores, flexible floorplates, facade rhythm, and outdoor extensions — while gradually shifting to form the cascading volume. The terraces are not added after the massing; they emerge from the floor-by-floor recession of the building.
The sequence reveals how access, parking, workplace flexibility, green cover, and roof infrastructure are absorbed into one compact section.
The GIF unpacks the building as a layered vertical system, from the partially embedded parking level to the ground floor, office plates, terraces, and roofscape.
Each level follows the same organisational logic — cores, flexible floorplates, facade rhythm, and outdoor extensions — while gradually shifting to form the cascading volume. The terraces are not added after the massing; they emerge from the floor-by-floor recession of the building.
The sequence reveals how access, parking, workplace flexibility, green cover, and roof infrastructure are absorbed into one compact section.
Urban Presence & Living Envelope
Urban Presence & Living Envelope
The building reads as a compact urban marker from the highway, while its stepped silhouette reduces the scale toward the surrounding district. The two volumes frame a central glazed break, allowing the mass to open visually rather than appear as a single closed office block.
The dark mineral body is softened by vertical golden louvers, planted terraces, and roof vegetation. Together, facade rhythm and landscape turn the envelope into an inhabited edge — mediating between traffic, workplace, and the lower commercial fabric around it.
For layout: use one large street/highway render first, then keep the remaining views in a flip view or quiet image pair. These images are atmospheric; they should not all compete equally.
The building reads as a compact urban marker from the highway, while its stepped silhouette reduces the scale toward the surrounding district. The two volumes frame a central glazed break, allowing the mass to open visually rather than appear as a single closed office block.
The dark mineral body is softened by vertical golden louvers, planted terraces, and roof vegetation. Together, facade rhythm and landscape turn the envelope into an inhabited edge — mediating between traffic, workplace, and the lower commercial fabric around it.
For layout: use one large street/highway render first, then keep the remaining views in a flip view or quiet image pair. These images are atmospheric; they should not all compete equally.
Image: Developed by Aayush Jindal . Collaboration with © Atelier Arcau
Drawings: Developed by Aayush Jindal . Employment under © Atelier Arcau
Image: © Kermarrec Promotion & © Atelier Arcau
Image: © Kermarrec Promotion & © Atelier Arcau
Drawings: Developed by Aayush Jindal . Employment under © Atelier Arcau
Drawings: Developed by Aayush Jindal . Employment under © Atelier Arcau
Drawings: Developed by Aayush Jindal . Employment under © Atelier Arcau
Drawings: Developed by Aayush Jindal . Employment under © Atelier Arcau
Flexible Floorplates & Cascading Workspaces
Flexible Floorplates & Cascading Workspaces
Flexible Floorplates & Cascading Workspaces
The office plans are organised around central service cores, keeping the floorplates open, divisible, and adaptable. Spaces can be rented horizontally across one level or vertically across stacked floors, allowing the building to support both smaller tenants and larger companies.
As the volume rises, the floorplates recede to create accessible terraces, bringing landscape, daylight, and informal exchange into the workplace.
Together, the plans and sections reveal a flexible office framework where open work areas, cabins, technical spaces, circulation, and terraces are arranged within one adaptable structural order.
The office plans are organised around central service cores, keeping the floorplates open, divisible, and adaptable. Spaces can be rented horizontally across one level or vertically across stacked floors, allowing the building to support both smaller tenants and larger companies.
As the volume rises, the floorplates recede to create accessible terraces, bringing landscape, daylight, and informal exchange into the workplace.
Together, the plans and sections reveal a flexible office framework where open work areas, cabins, technical spaces, circulation, and terraces are arranged within one adaptable structural order.
The office plans are organised around central service cores, keeping the floorplates open, divisible, and adaptable. Spaces can be rented horizontally across one level or vertically across stacked floors, allowing the building to support both smaller tenants and larger companies.
As the volume rises, the floorplates recede to create accessible terraces, bringing landscape, daylight, and informal exchange into the workplace.
Together, the plans and sections reveal a flexible office framework where open work areas, cabins, technical spaces, circulation, and terraces are arranged within one adaptable structural order.
Photo Gallery
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Architecture, design and spatial investigations
across built, unbuilt and collaborative work.
Based in Nuremberg, Germany
Works across Europe, US, India and beyond
CONTACT
2026 Aayush Jindal/ Spatial Sketchbook
Project and media rights remain with their respective authors and rights
holders. Unless otherwise credited, original content independently created
by Aayush Jindal is copyright of Aayush Jindal / Spatial Sketchbook.
Architecture, design and spatial investigations
across built, unbuilt and collaborative work.
Based in Nuremberg, Germany
Works across Europe, US, India and beyond
CONTACT
2026 Aayush Jindal/ Spatial Sketchbook
Project and media rights remain with their respective authors and rights
holders. Unless otherwise credited, original content independently created
by Aayush Jindal is copyright of Aayush Jindal / Spatial Sketchbook.
Architecture, design and spatial investigations
across built, unbuilt and collaborative work.
Based in Nuremberg, Germany
Works across Europe, US, India and beyond
CONTACT
2026 Aayush Jindal/ Spatial Sketchbook
Project and media rights remain with their respective authors and rights
holders. Unless otherwise credited, original content independently created
by Aayush Jindal is copyright of Aayush Jindal / Spatial Sketchbook.
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Image Credits
Architecture, design and spatial investigations
across built, unbuilt and collaborative work.
Based in Nuremberg, Germany
Works across Europe, US, India and beyond
CONTACT
2026 Aayush Jindal/ Spatial Sketchbook
Project and media rights remain with their respective authors and rights
holders. Unless otherwise credited, original content independently created
by Aayush Jindal is copyright of Aayush Jindal / Spatial Sketchbook.