Located at 59 Rue d’Alsace-Lorraine, in the heart of Toulouse’s oldest and most iconic pedestrian street, the project involves the restructuring of a Haussmann-style building steeped in history, recognisable by its 24-hour clock installed in 1895. Long occupied by banking establishments, the building has accompanied the evolution of the city centre and symbolises continuous activity, directly linked to the urban intensity of this sector.
In 2023, the 2IMA group began the transformation of this historic building to give it a new mixed-use purpose, combining retail space at the foot of the building with medical practices and offices, while preserving its architectural identity. This conversion is taking place in a dense, busy urban environment with high noise levels, typical of a commercial city centre.
The acoustic challenge was twofold: to adapt an old building to demanding contemporary uses, while ensuring the comfort, privacy and tranquillity of its future occupants. The combination of activities with very different acoustic requirements, together with the presence of technical equipment and the immediate proximity of public spaces, required a sophisticated approach to acoustic insulation, the management of sound transmission between floors and the control of noise pollution, both inside the building and in relation to its surroundings.
Our team was involved in the project during the environmental assessment and design study phases. We defined acoustic objectives tailored to each use, taking into account both the regulatory framework and the functional expectations of future occupants.
Our mission included acoustic diagnostics, analysis of the sound environment, definition of façade insulation performance, interior insulation and impact noise, as well as the dimensioning of reverberation treatments. We also ensured the control of noise and vibrations from technical equipment (HVAC, lifts, plumbing), with specifications for decoupling and monitoring of interfaces between lots.
The support provided by our team ensured that the various uses within the building could coexist in a controlled manner, while guaranteeing acoustic comfort in sensitive areas and compliance with regulatory requirements. The solutions implemented effectively limited external noise pollution, controlled transmission between activities and mitigated the impact of technical equipment, both inside the building and on the urban environment.
Thanks to continuous intervention throughout all phases, architectural and technical choices were secured upstream, reducing the risk of non-compliance and late adjustments during the construction phase.
Acoustics was thus fully integrated into the project as a tool for quality of use, contributing to the success of a complex refurbishment in the city centre and the sustainable enhancement of this iconic building.
