Multistorey facilities: a sound investment
There are excellent reasons to invest in a multistorey building. To name a few: the rising cost of land, increasingly strict soil sealing regulations and the challenges of last mile logistics. In urban environments where land is scarce, GSE’s multistorey buildings are redefining logistics by making the best use of vertical space. Innovative and flexible, these solutions aren’t just about minimising your footprint (on the ground and on the planet). They also maximise your storage capacity and efficiency.
Multistorey buildings, the trend that’s taking to the skies
A densely populated urban area is not a sprawling suburb. While stylish design elements – such as exposed brickwork and industrial detailing – are more common in city centres, a modern multistorey building can also be attractive. GSE’s Fly Parc, in the Aérolians development of Tremblay, near Paris Charles de Gaulle airport, is a typical example. While its variety of activities reflects growing demand in the Paris region, its layout saves space and optimises land use. The complex is made up of three buildings surrounding a central area dedicated to logistics units on the ground floor. The upper levels, accessible via a ramp for vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes, provide comfortable space for various business activities.
@GSE FlyParc
Multistorey buildings are nothing new. However, these designs have become increasingly popular in recent years for some applications, thanks to their ability to accommodate a variety of functions. For example, office buildings and production premises can coexist with warehousing facilities and sales outlets. Goods are organised and stored efficiently on different levels, facilitating logistics operations. By integrating advanced technologies to improve accessibility between floors, operators can optimise stock management and the movement of goods.
A multistorey development can double your rentable floor area while significantly reducing your footprint compared to a single-storey storage platform. In other words, verticality can increase efficiency, meet demand and adapt to scale, regardless of the size of the building site. Less land is required, making room for other priorities – such as the promotion of biodiversity and long-term financial savings. In addition, operational costs associated with storage, handling and maintenance can be reduced thanks to the efficiency of multistorey operations. When they are located close to city centres, multistorey logistics facilities reduce transport costs while meeting customers’ expectations and strict delivery deadlines. These warehouses are particularly suited to urban logistics, improving the distribution network and last-mile delivery – which enables the rapid turnover of goods. In short, multistorey buildings are the ideal solution for high-performance, efficient logistics near city centres.
The Four Parx site in Hamburg, built by GSE, is Germany’s largest multistorey site. It is operated by four users, including logisticians, e-tailers and the world leader in aeronautics construction.
The benefits of multistorey projects explain their growing popularity, particularly in the United States and Asia. In the US, new multistorey commercial buildings are mainly appearing in New York, Seattle and Chicago, with two facilities under development in San Francisco. New York has the highest number of multistorey logistics developments: four were recently inaugurated and four more under construction, out of a total of five built and six underway in the country.
Internationally, the tenant mix is more diverse – compared to the predominance of e-commerce and logistics services (3PL) in the US – with thirteen projects already built. A major project in Singapore, handed over in early 2024, redeveloped the local head office of a drinks producer, with a total floor area of 65,000 m² over five floors.
Source : CBRE Research, Q4 2023
This trend demonstrates the growing interest in multistorey buildings, which meet modern logistics needs and offer solutions adapted to urban constraints. Contemporary shopping practices, largely influenced by e-tailers, are accelerating this tendency.
A sustainable & profitable solution for a sound investment
A multistorey warehousing facility is a strategic asset that improves operational efficiency and delivers long-term cost savings. Thanks to environmentally responsible designs, these buildings reduce your environmental footprint while optimising space and resources. The ability to customise and expand your premises as your needs evolve ensures maximum flexibility. GSE’s buildings are not just short-term solutions: they are investments in the future, designed to grow with your business. With GSE, you’re taking an approach that’s sustainable, scalable and forward-looking.
Building for the future
Environmentally responsible solutions are key to reducing the carbon footprint of logistics operations. Renewable energy solutions – such as solar panels – help to reduce consumption. Rainwater harvesting systems minimise water runoff and can be included in a biodiversity-positive landscaping project. Channelling more natural light to work areas, thanks to windows and skylights, reduces the need for artificial lighting, improves worker wellbeing and increases energy efficiency.
Dedicated sorting areas for waste recycling, reuse and reduction will minimise your environmental impact and help improve your waste management. Landscaping measures – such as planted site boundaries or green roofs & facades – enhance your building’s overall sustainability. Installing nest boxes, planting wild flowers, creating insect habitats and selecting climbing plants also promote biodiversity.
Integrating green roofs and green walls aesthetically transforms a building while delivering a net gain in biodiversity. These elements can provide insulation, shade and cooling, while reducing the visual and environmental impact of logistics buildings and cutting their energy consumption. The improvement of the landscape – thanks to trees and new green spaces – completes this eco-friendly approach.
From the perspective of logistics, building upward makes perfect sense. In densely populated urban areas where rental demand is high, finding a large site of several acres on which to build a warehouse can be difficult or even impossible. This is why the logistics sector is developing more and more multistorey buildings.
When you choose GSE, you get the expertise of a leader in multistorey construction, backed by a team of specialised architects & engineers ready to help you carry out your project.
Our goal is to ensure that the value of your real estate assets increases over time. Direct access to urban infrastructures and consumers boosts your facility’s appeal and value. What’s more, the technical and environmental quality of our developments ensures sustainability, compliance with standards and stakeholder satisfaction.
With GSE, you are investing in best-in-class, sustainable logistics solutions that are perfectly adapted to the challenges of today and tomorrow.
