Eyes to the skies, how multistorey buildings can preserve biodiversity

 In the Paris suburb of Bondy, GSE is giving a second lease of life to a logistics brownfield site. Our state-of-the-art project reconciles urban performance with environmental responsibility. It reflects our vision: to reinvent commercial real estate as a vehicle for preserving biodiversity and conserving land.

From sealed wasteland to thriving ecosystem

Previously occupied by a 2,800 m² logistics platform, the plot’s surface was entirely sealed. Today, after rehabilitating the land, we are erecting a multistorey building comprising 25 units, including offices and high-quality green areas. The project is aiming for the BiodiverCity label.

While we are doubling the floor space to 5,176 m², we are introducing innovative solutions to renature and enhance the outdoor areas – proving that smart densification can go hand in hand with nature conservation. Prior to our project, less than 20% of the plot was planted, making it difficult to accommodate local wildlife. We applied the Avoid, Reduce, Compensate principle to limit environmental impacts and develop outdoor spaces with high ecological quality. Today, 46% of the plot is planted.

A multistorey design to preserve land

By building up, rather than out, we optimise the use of space while reducing soil sealing. This pragmatic and innovative strategy offers several key benefits:

• Controlled density: we increased the usable space without expanding the site footprint.
• Recreated green spaces: we more than doubled the planted surfaces, from 3,035 m² to 6,592 m², with new green spaces integrated into the upper levels.
• Enhanced biodiversity: we planted local species, installed wildlife shelters and recreated the ecological continuity.

This design illustrates our environmentally friendly strategy – where density meets preservation.

Concrete actions to preserve and develop biodiversity

The project includes many initiatives aimed at strengthening biodiversity while promoting the harmonious coexistence of humans and nature. These include the creation of accessible green spaces, notably a landscaped park, providing users with places to stroll and relax. The interior was designed to offer plentiful views of the outdoor greenery, strengthening the bond between people and their environment.

In addition, more than 70% of the plants are native to the Paris Basin, ensuring their adaptation to the territory and maximising ecological restoration. To encourage local biodiversity, we installed bird nesting boxes and bat roosts.

The choice of the brownfield site, combined with the multistorey design and the involvement of committed stakeholders, made it possible to decrease the project’s environmental footprint and promote the sustainable cohabitation of business activities and healthy biodiversity.

An exemplary project in support of the ecological transition

Factory Bondy is more than just a building. It truly creates a reimagined ecosystem, where real estate (re)development drives urban regeneration. This project demonstrates that it is possible to combine compactness, reduced soil sealing and the renaturation of industrial and logistics brownfields.

By minimising land take, optimising density and preserving biodiversity, we are proving that a logistics project can be sustainable, virtuous and perfectly integrated into an ecological transition strategy.