Archive Box Storage Facility
Sitran-Chartres, France
A multi-level archive storage facility fitted out within a 10 metre warehouse in central France.
The scheme involved fitting out a 10 metre high warehouse building in Sitran-Chartres, France, with a multi-tiered racking installation and associated services to create a box archive storage facility. The racking installation provided ground level and two elevated storage levels with open fire escape staircases, accommodating 181,560 cubic feet of box storage across a total floor area of 4,488 square metres.
The installation was equipped with an energy-efficient lighting control system, emergency lighting, first aid fire-fighting facilities and a comprehensive NFPA 13 sprinkler system covering roof, in-rack and in-aisle positions. Aspirating smoke detection at roof level provided very early warning capability across the entire building.
Full design, project management and cost control delivered from the UK with on-site management in France.
Osborn Associates produced detailed and fully coordinated designs from their UK offices for the entire scheme: the racking system, lighting and small power, gas-fired heating with energy-saving destratification fans, aspirating smoke detection and NFPA 13 sprinkler protection.
The company managed the full construction process including contractor appointments and approvals, cost management with client reporting, and on-site management from dedicated site offices in France. The site management scope covered construction sequencing, safety, deliveries and building code compliance across the four-month installation period.
Delivering a secure, multi-level archive facility on a live site in an international market.
The project required Osborn Associates to operate across borders, coordinating design from UK offices while maintaining a full-time site management presence in France. Working within the French regulatory and construction environment demanded an understanding of local building codes and procurement practices alongside the NFPA standards specified by the client.
The live site environment and secure nature of the facility added operational constraints throughout the construction period. Building safely across multiple elevated levels while maintaining the security protocols required for an archive storage environment demanded careful planning from the outset. The scheme was completed on budget, with access for the client's local business team achieved on programme.