Behind these Paris offices lies a former call center.

PHOTOGRAPHY - A former call center has been converted into an office building by real estate developer Covivio. That's quite a feat considering it's an outdated tech room. By Marina Richard Updated 02/11/23, 05:00 PM Published 02/11/23, 05:00 PM Photographer: Olivier Wada Photographer: Olivier Wada Photographer: Olivier Wada Photographer: Olivier Wada Photographer: Olivier Wada Photographer: Olivier Wada Photographer: Olivier Wada Photographer: Olivier Wada Photographer: Olivier Wada Photographer: Olivier Wada Photographer: Olivier Wada

Rebuilding city on top of city instead of building new buildings is the real motto.

Covivio realizes this and has even decided to demonstrate its skills in its own offices. The real estate developer purchased a 6,500-square-foot building. of brick and stone, which was formerly a central telephone exchange consisting of two buildings - one from the 1920s on Rue Madrid and the other from the 1930s on Rue Edinburgh in the 8th arrondissement of Paris - to house its employees. That's quite a feat considering this building looks like a dark fortress.

"It was an outdated building built to be operated by France Télécom. It was very mineralized, with no green space, and contained asbestos and lead," says Aurelie Auterb, Covivio's project director. The building was very dark, with many blind rooms such as the service staircase. The only advantage of such a building was its high ceilings.

To do this, a monumental staircase was installed through the roof to connect the first floor of the Madrid Street building to the first floor of the Edinburgh Street building. The façade of the building on Edinburgh Street has been stripped and replaced with a glass folded façade that echoes the brick pattern to recall the site's semi-industrial past. Thus, the historic facade is no longer oppressive, but has an airy finish full of lightness. The art deco clock that previously existed has been fully restored and an archway classified as a historic landmark with a relief depicting a woman talking on the telephone has been retained.

The building still houses the telephone exchange and operator Orange will be able to access the site to check its operation, but it will no longer be the heart of the reactor. From January 2024, the building will house 204 workstations, 3 event spaces and 14 meeting rooms. This project cost 25 million euros, but that's the price that had to be paid to make this building a showcase for Covivio and demonstrate its ability to redefine Paris' historic heritage.