Area Inaugurates New Head Office in Jonage, a Strategic Location for the Highway Company

Area quickly took ownership of its new premises, which it inaugurated this Wednesday, September 20. Its head office, and its approximately 300 employees, moved from Bron to Jonage in April. A strategic area for the highway company.

Laurie Abadie – Today at 06:00

After 52 years of life in Parc du Chêne de Bron, Area’s head office moved to the ZAC des Gaulnes de Jonage in April. The inauguration of the brand new premises took place this Wednesday, September 20.

Motorway concession company, Area is a subsidiary of the APRR group (Autoroutes Paris-Rhin-Rhône). To put it simply, Area manages 430 km of motorways between Lyon and the Alps; APRR, whose head office is in Dijon, covers 1,820 km between Lyon and Paris.

Michel Chenevat, regional director of Eiffage construction Centre-Est, and Guillaume Hérent, general director of APRR and Area. Photo Laurie Abadie

Michel Chenevat, regional director of Eiffage construction Centre-Est, Christophe Quiniou, mayor of Meyzieu, Anita Di Murro, mayor of Pusignan and Lucien Barge, mayor of Jonage. Photo Laurie Abadie

Sarah Tanzilli, deputy for the 13th constituency of Rhône, took part in the game of symbolically assembling a puzzle. Photo Laurie Abadie

A large gathering for the inauguration of the Area head office in Jonage this Wednesday, September 20. Photo Laurie Abadie

An aging, small and energy-intensive building

“Area had only known Bron, it was with a tear in our eye that we left this emblematic site,” recalls Guillaume Hérent, general director of APRR-Area. Built in length in the 1970s, the building lacked ergonomics, practicality and above all space. An extension had been made but offices still had to be set up in the basement. “It was aging, too small, with poor energy performance,” explains Guillaume Hérent. We understood that we could no longer put bandages on the building. »

The teams from Bron, but also those from La Part-Dieu, then gathered in April in Jonage in 4,000 m² of modern offices, distributed in an H shape like the name of the building: Hermes, Greek god of travelers. On this 8,000 m² plot of land, 180 outdoor and underground parking spaces. Of the 300 employees, “85% are from Eastern Lyon or Northern Isère and do not have many alternatives to the car,” notes the director. City dwellers take advantage of the T3 tram located 400 meters away. “We are truckers, so the proximity of the A432 is beneficial to us in this dynamic ZAC. »

Breeam very good labeled

After €16 million and 16 months of work, the Jonageois building displays all the codes of a new generation workplace. Breaks are taken both in the cafeteria and at the picnic tables, the offices are open space, but there are also 19 isolated work rooms, 16 meeting rooms and a creativity room. “Our CO2 emissions should drop considerably, the building is designed for this, with for example the air conditioning which turns off as soon as a door is left open, or the orientation of the bay windows,” lists Guillaume Hérent.

Area’s new head office is located in the ZAC des Gaulnes in Jonage. Photo Laurie Abadie

A shared space is set up on each floor. Photo Laurie Abadie

Boxes allow small groups or one person to isolate themselves to work. Simply reserve the room for the desired time. Photo Laurie Abadie

This “creative room” allows teams to come together to brainstorm. Photo Laurie Abadie

Common areas are open and often have a terrace. Photo Laurie Abadie

And what will become of the Bron site? Nothing has been decided yet. Area has no control since it was only a tenant within the framework of the contract signed with the State to manage the Area motorways, until 2036. The same in Jonage, where the owner is the Lyon Land Company.

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