Imprimeries Mame

A symbol of 20th-century industrial architecture and listed as a historic monument, the Mame printing works were built in the 1950s by Bernard Zehrfuss, Jean Prouvé and painter Edgar Pillet.

Focusing on the bare essentials, the conversion of the building and the enhancement of its undeniable qualities revealed during a detailed analysis, the agency, with the help of Pierre-Antoine Gatier, chief architect of historic monuments, opted for sobriety. The first task, almost archaeological in nature, was to identify the original elements - frames, beams, paintings. In order to obtain sufficient daylight, all the existing masonry windows were reopened. However, these modifications to the façade preserve the building's structural logic. The existing window frames were restored to their original layout. The only area where freedom was allowed was the exterior. The ramparts of a former barracks were demolished to create a large sloping forecourt that reconnects the building to its use in the urban landscape.

Exceptional architecture, specific heritage elements such as the modular structure designed by Bernard Zehrfuss, the ‘colouring’ work by painter Edgard Pillet, as well as the metalwork, staircases and sheds designed by Jean Prouvé, will be fully preserved. The agency's interventions involve at least the so-called ‘heavy’ work on the primary structure of the building and focus on showcasing a certain idea of reversibility.