Logistics is changing—and so is warehouse architecture!

When I grow up, I want to design warehouses! Let’s be honest: in recent decades, few young architecture-school graduates have made firms specializing in warehouse design their first choice. That situation may soon change. In the face of the sector’s strong activity since the health crisis, as well as the industry’s desire to champion a new exemplary model, logistics real estate now has compelling arguments to attract young professionals.

“We need creativity! Architecture has been neglected for too long in commercial and industrial areas, explains Hervé Paillard, co-founding partner and architect at Atelier M3. Whether it concerns the environment, regional planning, urban policy, or reshoring, industrial architecture is at the heart of society’s challenges. It is an exciting challenge for the new generation of architects.” Despite technical constraints (fire regulations, standards, accessibility, etc.), designers of logistics spaces often have greater architectural freedom (materials, colors, volumes, etc.) than when constructing and renovating housing or office buildings in the heart of cities.

To better understand this new landscape, a quick look in the rearview mirror is in order. Until the early 2000s, the French logistics market was fairly closed. For example, La Poste still held a monopoly on sending small parcels. With deregulation, many players sought to establish themselves by changing the sector’s codes—and therefore the architecture of its buildings. The logistics warehouse was thus transformed, both in its dimensions and in its processes, notably through the integration of automation technologies (robots, automated lines, etc.).

“Logistics real estate has undergone three major changes over the past decade,” explains Jean-Pierre Madelaine, Managing Director of Archi-Factory. “First, warehouses changed in size. Clear heights increased to more than 11 meters, even 12 meters and more today, compared with an average of 10 meters previously. To optimize flows, they also expanded with the proliferation of large XXL platforms that can exceed 100,000 square meters. The second major change was mechanization and the now almost systematic integration of processes upstream in the design phase. Finally, in recent years, warehouses have expanded across several floors to address issues such as the scarcity of land, the development of urban logistics, and zero land take.” A symbol of this transformation is Vailog Segro’s new warehouse in Gennevilliers, designed as a two-level building (32,000 m² per floor) organized around a 120-meter access ramp. 

Of course, these developments have been driven in particular by the growing importance of environmental and societal issues within the industry ; as illustrated by the reciprocal commitments charter signed in July 2021 between Afilog and the government, which formalized a number of best practices concerning the environmental and economic performance of French logistics real estate. “Developers’ awareness of these issues has increased significantly in recent years, particularly because CSR policy has taken on growing importance,” says Jean-Pierre Madelaine. “First came the creation of biodiversity habitats in logistics areas, through the design of beehives, ponds, and insect hotels. Then came the integration of rooftop photovoltaic panels. Today, the environmental challenge is even greater, with the challenge of redeveloping brownfields, which makes it possible to return part of the renewed spaces to nature.”

In practice, architecture can also help warehouses integrate into their surroundings—and no longer be perceived as stand-alone complexes. “A well-designed warehouse creates its own landscape and its own relationship with the surrounding environment. As architects, we must therefore take care to connect our buildings with forests, waterways, and surrounding areas,” says Hervé Paillard. “These large warehouses can also sometimes serve their ecosystem, like those built along roads that provide sound protection for surrounding neighborhoods.” Monoprix’s new 100,000 m² storage and distribution site in Moissy-Cramayel (Seine-et-Marne) is among the recent examples of successful environmental and landscape integration. Designed by Prologis, this project, inaugurated in 2021, is presented as the “world’s first carbon-neutral logistics platform.”

Finally, echoing the movement under way in the office sector, the logistics real estate world is paying increasing attention to the well-being of its occupants. This is made more difficult by the fact that these spaces often bring together several activities and professions (handling, transport, administration, etc.) in one place. “Creating a building where people are happy to live or work is an architect’s raison d’être; logistics real estate must be no exception to this rule,” says Hervé Paillard. “In a warehouse, the pursuit of well-being notably involves making optimal use of natural light, creating social spaces, and developing landscaped outdoor areas. Our challenge is to make people want to come to work every day with a smile.” Provided, of course, that the management of the user company carries forward the architect’s ambitions.

Agile, responsible, and happy: is that what the ideal warehouse of the future would look like? Apparently so, although nothing is set in stone. “Logistics is a rapidly evolving sector, so it is always difficult to take a forward-looking position. That said, we can indeed imagine that in a few years warehouses will comprise three or four levels, be served by electric or hydrogen trucks, and above all offer mixed uses to create a link between logistics and industry. Everything will depend on the economic context. The right formula will have to be found to make such projects profitable,” concludes Jean-Pierre Madelaine. One thing is certain: the logistics real estate sector will be able to count on architects to imagine ever more innovative and responsible warehouses.

Today, 95% of projects are designed to fit into the landscape. Height is a key factor. We began studying this issue eight years ago after winning the architectural competition for Chapelle International in Paris’s 18th arrondissement. Because the PLU did not allow us to build upward due to the proximity of the Sacré-Cœur Basilica, we worked with several underground levels and developed an urban logistics hotel that has become a benchmark for integration into its environment.

Logistics real estate is now mature enough to develop multistory warehouses : the Paris Air2 Logistique platform designed by Vailog and used by Leroy Merlin and Ikea at the Port of Gennevilliers; the urban logistics hotel developed by Sogaris with Chartier Dalix Architectes; the 90,000 m2 project we designed for Goodman across four levels in Gennevilliers, etc. Warehouse aesthetics have also changed radically. Major investors and users have adopted genuine graphic charters, and their buildings reflect these codes. Some rooftops are also enlivened with sports fields or urban farms alongside photovoltaic installations. Finally, the landscape in the immediate vicinity of the platforms receives particular attention, with many landscaped berms, trees, and so on.

More refined materials are being used, such as the textured concrete we are deploying on buildings in the Aguilles business park near Marseille for Barjane; brick and zinc at Chapelle International; and a metal mesh that serves as a second skin around the volumes of the Goodman project in Gennevilliers. The interiors of some buildings are also more carefully finished, notably with timber framing. Architects specializing in logistics real estate, such as A.26, demonstrate creativity while remaining pragmatic in order to meet the economic requirements of projects.