CHU Rennes

The Pontchaillou site is faced with a dispersion of its critical functions: scattered operating theatres and intensive care units spread across several buildings. This fragmented organisation complicates team and equipment management, slows down the coordination of care and limits the agility of the hospital system.

To address this, the university hospital has embarked on a major overhaul of its spatial organisation through an ambitious master plan. At the heart of this strategy is the new Surgical and Interventional Centre (CCI). This compact, scalable building brings together critical services in a compact, modular complex.

This compact layout brings services closer together, shortens travel times, reduces traffic distances and strengthens synergies between medical teams. By optimising the building envelope, it limits energy loss and actively contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Designed to anticipate changes in hospital practices, the CCI guarantees functional flexibility by separating the architecture from the specific uses it houses.

Atelier Franck Boutté supported this project with an approach focused on energy performance, user comfort and environmental sustainability.

The architectural choices were guided by thermal simulations, which helped optimise the building envelope to ensure good passive comfort and limit heating and air conditioning needs. Natural ventilation is promoted through a sophisticated airflow design, reducing dependence on active systems.

Natural light is maximised through the layout of the spaces and the positioning of the openings, limiting electricity consumption and improving user well-being.

The project also incorporates sustainable resource management: rainwater recovery, reduction of impermeable surfaces, integration of bio-based materials, and connection to the district heating network.

The result: the CCI achieves E3C1 performance level, embodying a sober, adaptable hospital model that is aligned with current environmental challenges.