The Orange Cube, the soon to be completed building project in Lyon, France, was undertaken by Paris based architects Jacob + Macfarlane. The 6.300m2, 5 storey building is to be used for both commercial and cultural purposes.
Dramatically located on the site of former docks on the River Saone, its visual autonomy will exert a powerful influence on its environment. The 29x33m cube is enclosed in a separate perforated skin of aluminium sheets, lacquered with orange lead, permitting natural daylight to enter the interior and allowing views of the inside of the building. The use of metal and the orange color, traditionally used on harbor buildings in the past, reflect the original industrial feel of the site. The symmetry of the cube is broken by a concave cone cut out of the north- west corner, creating an atrium and allowing external corridors to link the office space. The Orange Cube is part of an urban revitalization program in Lyon.
