Located in Bordeaux, the SMART Building opened its doors in April 2024. This university research and sports training centre is equipped with cutting-edge technology and an intelligent network. The SageGlass dynamic glass façade guarantees optimum lighting conditions for athletes, whatever the weather.
In the medal table for the 2024 international sporting event in Paris, France secured fifth place with 64 medals, successfully meeting the ambitious target set by the French National Sports Agency (ANS) for the nation’s elite athletes prior to the competition. The result of a collective effort, this success highlights the modernization of France’s high-performance sports system, strongly supported by a proactive sports promotion policy. A standout example of this is the SMART connected gymnasium at Bordeaux University, which was designated as an official preparation centre for the global sporting event.
A connected sports laboratory for enhanced performance
SMART stands for Sports, Movement, Ambition, Research, Technology. The centre is an integral part of the University of Bordeaux’s sports policy, and is dedicated to the study of human mobility in sport and art. The Living Lab, which is part of the “Opération Campus Bordeaux” program – a 500 million euro project aimed at achieving international excellence status for the university – enables the mechanisms of human performance to be analyzed with great precision, thanks to the latest medical technologies. The goal is to promote greater adoption of exercise and innovatively enhance the training and performance of elite athletes.
To achieve this, researchers and athletes have access to a state-of-the-art infrastructure including a multi-purpose & intelligent gym equipped with 11 robotic cameras, as well as a research room. With a total surface area of almost 4,000 square meters, the two floors house a variety of spaces including a dance studio, a golf simulator, a physiotherapy area and a medical area, a research room, a gym, a 32-lane climbing wall and rooms for seminars and interdisciplinary collaboration between students, doctors, physiotherapists, sports trainers and researchers.
An intelligent facade for an innovative sports centre
The SMART building was designed by Nantes-based GPAA architecture. In collaboration with Julien Morlier, Professor of Biomechanics at the University of Bordeaux and Director of SMART, they imagined a simple building, embellished by a finely crafted facade of aluminium composite panels with silver reflections. Vertical lines run through these panels, while recessed LED lights at intersections envelop the campus in a magical light at night. This network motif, symbolizing the sports centre’s intelligent connectivity, is echoed in the complex wooden structure that covers the 1,350-square-meter multi-purpose hall, designed without pillars to maximize space.
On the first floor, the facade is punctuated by glass sequences providing natural light and views of the exterior. On the upper floor, small diamond-shaped openings discreetly integrated into the structure provide natural lighting. The only large opening in the building is the glazed frame of the multi-purpose hall. It extends right up to the ceiling, allowing light to flood the room. Here too, the lattice motif is present: the slender post-and-beam structure is supported by a grey steel framework, whose diagonal bars are superimposed on the orthogonal glass façade.
The all-glass facade, almost 12 meters high, is fitted with SageGlass smart windows. The electrochromic glass tints and clears according to sunlight conditions, thanks to a sensor installed on the building’s roof. On sunny days, the intelligent control system triggers the glazing to tint, regulating the amount of natural light and heat entering the building. Occupants benefit from thermal and visual comfort, as the glass prevents excess glare and heat. Thanks to SageGlass, the gym provides athletes with ideal training conditions, enhancing their progress. Athletes and researchers can experience sunlight in the hall while enjoying the view outside.
Thierry Mechineau, co-managing partner of GPAA architectures:
“The themes developed by the agency for sports facilities are orchestrated around the structure, which, as it takes shape, defines the place of each building component. The SMART project is distinguished by the idea of staging the main north-facing façade: a monumental glass frame opens onto the university, opposite which the climbing wall is designed as a graphic backdrop. Views and natural light emerge while being controlled by electrochromic glass. This technology was chosen to ensure control of the room’s light intensity, particularly for the video recordings required for research work.
Subscribe for FREE below to receive the weekly DGBulletin newsletter and monthly digital magazine!
