Building for life, building for relaxation

This 20,000 m² project, which was delivered in spring 2023 by teams from Bouygues Bâtiment Nord-Est in Nancy, is a remarkable feat of engineering that combines tradition and innovation to deliver an unrivalled experience for future visitors.

Designed by Architectures Anne Démians and Chabanne Architecte, Grand Nancy Thermal blends harmoniously into the Parc Sainte-Marie landscape, offering an oasis of fitness, relaxation, well-being and health. Supplied with thermal water, the complex comprises three dedicated areas, as well as a wide range of complementary services, including serviced apartments, a restaurant, a seminar centre, a nursery and shops.

Up to 250 employees and partners were involved in this mammoth project, which combined the renovation of historic buildings with new construction. Their cutting-edge expertise and technical innovations enabled them to rise to the most daring challenges, while concrete measures to promote biodiversity and the circular economy were factors ensuring the sustainability of the project.

Much more than just an aquatic complex, Grand Nancy Thermal is a showcase for French expertise in engineering and construction, a must-visit destination that will impact the entire region.

Building for life, building for low-carbon energy

Swaffham Prior, a village of some 300 houses in east Cambridgeshire, has become one of the first villages in the United Kingdom to install a geothermal heating network. Up until then, Swaffham Prior was not connected to the gas network, and 70% of its homes relied on fuel oil for heating. 

To address this challenge, Cambridgeshire County Council embarked on an ambitious project with Swaffham Prior Community Land Trust to provide a sustainable energy solution for the village. The goal was clear: to put an end to energy poverty, reduce fuel dependency and provide affordable, sustainable heating for all residents.

It was against this backdrop that Bouygues Energy & Services (a subsidiary of Equans, part of the Bouygues Group), acted as the County Council’s technical partner. Bouygues Energy & Services called on teams from VSL, a specialist subsidiary of Bouygues Construction, to carry out the deep drilling required to install the underground heat exchange pipes. The project was massive – they drilled 87 holes to a depth of 205 metres, filled them with a special geothermal mortar and then installed the heat exchange pipes.

The teams were able to showcase their expertise by employing as many as four specialised drilling rigs, manned by highly qualified operators. To reduce carbon emissions, VSL also introduced innovative measures, including replacing diesel with hydrogenated vegetable oil, which cut CO2 emissions by almost 90%.

This technical feat, made possible thanks to VSL’s expertise and commitment, marks a major step forward in Swaffham Prior’s energy transition and attests to the importance of innovation in tackling today’s environmental challenges.

Bouygues Travaux Publics was selected by La Société du Grand Paris to carry out the public works on line 15 South of the Grand Paris Express. The civil engineering work will concern the stretch between the stations of Villejuif Louis-Aragon and Créteil l’Échat. 

The work concerned will include the civil engineering for four stations (Créteil l’Échat, Vert de Maisons, Les Ardoines and Vitry Centre), the excavation of a two-way tunnel and the entry well for two tunnel boring machines (Arrighi brownfield, in Vitry-sur-Seine), and the realisation of five associated structures. The objective of this new line is to relieve traffic pressure on other public transport lines. 

The government of the State of Victoria in Australia entrusted the financing, design, construction and maintenance for 25 years of the future Melbourne metro tunnel to the Cross Yarra consortium, which includes Bouygues Construction Australia, a subsidiary of Bouygues Travaux Publics.

The new metro will have a two-tube tunnel of 9 kilometres and will host five new stations: Arden, Parkville, CBD North, CBD South and Domain. 

This large-scale project also includes the development of parks, walkways, pedestrian areas and shops in the public spaces surrounding these stations. Over time, this will increase the capacity of the public transport network and thus reduce congestion in the existing network. 

BYMARO, the Moroccan subsidiary of Bouygues Bâtiment International, carried out the technical design and realisation of the Yves Saint Laurent Museum in Marrakesh.  In addition to coordinating the work of numerous internationally renowned experts (lighting engineers, acoustic engineers, designers, etc.), BYMARO designed the optimum technical arrangements to meet the restrictions involved in conserving the dresses, enhance the beauty of the interiors using craftsmanship and traditional materials, and guarantee excellence in the new technologies used.

This building is more than just a museum: it also organises the conservation of works of art, hosts exhibitions of local artists, rebroadcasts cultural events live in its auditorium and makes original publications available for consultation in its library.

Bouygues Bâtiment International is renovating a hotel from the early 20th century, the Packard Hotel. This hotel is constructed from a combination of metal and concrete and will become a benchmark for 5-star hotels in Havana. This little miracle was designed by Michel Regembal, architect of the Stade de France stadium. 

One peculiarity about this site is that it is one of the eight pilot sites on which Bouygues Bâtiment International is rolling out ‘lean management’, a participative, collaborative and visual form of scheduling in which each task is very precisely defined.

The new headquarters of the European metropolis of Lille, The Biotope project by Bouygues Bâtiment Nord-Est, our subsidiary, was designed by Henning Larsen Architects and Keurk Architecture; it was made using natural materials such as wood and stone and is equipped with large green terraces. Particularly noteworthy in terms of energy savings, Biotope meets the most demanding environmental standards. It has the BREEAM certification, which assesses the sanitary quality and well-being of the users, the E+C- certification label, which recognises its low-carbon footprint and its energy performance, the Wiredscore label, due to the low impact of the connectivity, and the Biodivercity label, thanks to its excellence in terms of its respect and development of biodiversity.

This top-quality residential complex has been designed by Bouygues Bâtiment International. Built on 12 levels, this complex comprises only 16 apartments with a minimum surface area of 550 m².

It will face the ocean and will boast an indoor pool, outdoor pool and a spa. The interior of each apartment will be unique and made using quality materials and furnished with designer furniture. The adjacent building is reserved for residents and will offer a parking facility, concierge service, tennis court and golf simulator. 

This is a major project for science at Paris-Sud University. The university has chosen the project company, Platon Saclay, which is managed by Bouygues Construction, to design, construct, operate and maintain this building complex. The project, which is HQE (High Environmental Quality) accredited, will house state-of-the-art research laboratories, teaching areas, an insectarium and aquarium, greenhouses and tertiary areas over an area of approximately 85,000 m2.

The site will accommodate 400 researchers, doctoral students and administrative staff.

Extension work carried out by Bouygues Travaux Publics will make it possible to double the current capacity of Port de Calais due to the construction of a new dock facing the sea north of the existing port facilities which also complies with the environmental requirements of the site.

The project’s design is in line with commitments to conserve the animal and plant life made by the Hauts-de-France region to the National Council for the Protection of Nature. It includes the creation of a quiet area for birds and an observatory to watch the birdlife.