Total Digital Factory

Paris 2nd // 5550m^²

sectorEnergy

The energy to change the world.

Total Digital Factory - Espace détente et restauration

A world-renowned player in the production and supply of energy, Total Energies is the world's 5th largest energy company, ranking alongside some of the biggest names in French industry. The group is constantly pushing back boundaries and setting ever higher standards, with its ambition of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.

It's an approach that's bold as it is vital under current environmental conditions. Reflecting the group's ambitions since its creation, this project represents a genuine revolution on both a human and industrial scale.

Total: building digital foundations for the future.

During the devastating, unprecedented pandemic of 2020, Total appealed to Factory to design the Total Digital Factory.

Digital transition, an increasingly important societal issue, is a major challenge to both the survival of brands and the sustainability of businesses. As prime contractor for the entire project, we rose to the spatial planning and architectural brief with the necessary rigour and expertise.

Against a backdrop of far-reaching changes for Total, the idea was to design a polymorphous venue ready to accommodate a multiplicity of skills and professions in a dedicated hub in the heart of Paris. Ideally located in France's Silicon Valley, this nerve centre of digital transformation brings together developers, UX designers, data scientists, information system architects and many other specialised professions dedicated to the success of the project.

"A dedicated hub in the heart of Paris, ready to welcome a multiplicity of skills and professions."

This is a workspace dedicated solely to collective intelligence, where agility and flexibility are the essential ingredients for uninhibited creativity. We faced two major challenges: on the one hand, we had to reconcile productivity and shortened decision-making processes to successfully incubate Total's projects. On the other, convincing and generating the support of external audiences to join this large-scale project, as a driving force in the digital transition.

Breaking down the walls of corporate tradition.

Total Digital Factory - Salle de réunion

There was no question of embarking on a project of this scale without devising a tailor-made strategy. The key challenge for this project was to bring out the best of the site, despite the fact that it was not bespoke for the purpose. With a view to multi-sector recruitment, the early stages of the project were based on the expectation that the remaining 90% of the workforce would be recruited.

After a month of collaborative project workshops with the first employees of the Digital Factory, a conviction emerged that the conventions of the typical employer needed to be deconstructed. The aim was to develop a state of mind driven by innovation and unique to the Total Digital Factory. The result of this creative iteration between our teams and the Factory's future occupants, needed imperatively to be spacious, but no less conducive to team cohesion.

"This creative iteration between our teams and the Factory's future occupants, needed imperatively to be spacious, but no less conducive to team cohesion."

We also wanted the professional spaces to subtly embody Total's DNA and values, without ostensibly displaying the brand. The layout and decoration, supported by a graphic and experiential storytelling, created a common thread running through the entire space. Factory's talented identity design team came up with a concept similar to a new brand, under the acronym TDF.

TDF, at the crossroads of a new reality.

Total Digital Factory - Espace de travail

Naturally, the theme of digital transformation was an obvious one.

So the technical world and the guidelines for digital ergonomics and interface design guided the decoration and signage of the space. The involvement of TDF employees in this project meant that together we could design a space that really met their day-to-day needs. At Factory, we're convinced that a positive user experience in the workplace has a measurable impact on the well-being and productivity of teams. That's exactly what made this design so special and so successful.

The cold materials and colours associated with technology have been softened by warmer details and tones. The idea was to create an indefinable space at the frontier of a new generation, dedicated solely to innovation and creativity. Ambitious as this large-scale transformation project was, we reinvented the digital elements with a hybrid approach. Digital works of art were used to represent the crossroads of the present and the future. This is particularly true of the screens in the entrance hall, an artistic installation that is also useful for bridging the gap between the project's different professions. Our experimental approach combined inspirations from the world of start-ups, hotel-restaurants and new co-working concepts, all of which have given life to TDF's unique workspaces.

"Ambitious as this large-scale transformation project was, we reinvented the digital elements with a hybrid approach."

With the perfectionism that characterises our teams, we designed the 5 floors of workspace down to the last millimetre, to turn TDF into an intelligent production tool. With the technical world and the theme of digital transition having been implemented, we couldn't envisage designing this project without incorporating Total's principal desire: to encourage collective intelligence. A catering area on the ground floor cleverly combines agile meeting rooms and convivial spaces. The rest of the space is designed to encourage new ways of working together, such as stand-up meetings and flexible offices.

"Make TDF an intelligent production tool".

TDF's spatial planning was designed to reflect its squad working protocol, making interaction essential to encouraging co-creation and productivity. Comfort, agility and team connectivity are therefore at the heart of the place's promise to TDF employees. A great challenge for the Factory teams and our client Total.

Summary sheet

sectorEnergy

area5550m^²

placeParis 2nd

delivery2021

Engaged Expertises

Architectural Concept.
Experience Design.
Concept & Storytelling.
Furniture and Decoration.
Workplace Strategy.

Data analysis for workspace optimization
The use of data analysis and tracking technologies to understand how workspaces are utilized, in order to optimize their layout, design, and features to meet the needs of employees.
Smart urban offices
In densely populated city centers, offices could implement smart solutions to optimize space utilization and enhance energy efficiency. This may include public transportation management systems, shared bike infrastructure, coworking spaces, and concierge services for employees.
Digitalization and digital transformation
The adoption of digital technologies to automate processes, enhance operational efficiency, facilitate remote collaboration, and foster innovation within the company.
Technology and innovation
The integration of advanced technologies into the work environment, such as online collaboration tools, smart home technology, virtual or augmented reality, to facilitate communication, productivity, and user experience.
TFAW
The Future at Work
User experience (UX)
The focus on the overall user experience in the workspace, creating aesthetically pleasing, functional, and ergonomic environments, offering additional services and amenities, and fostering a positive corporate culture.

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