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A touch of craftsmanship in Hermès leather workshops,
French-Lebanese architect Lina Kotmeh brings a touch of craftsmanship and a memory of place to Hermès’ new leather workshops in Normandy,
France, through the sculpted bricks that wrap the building.
The timber-framed building, called Maroquinerie de Louviers,
was built on an industrial industrial site in the center of Hermès in Normandy.
Using more than 500,000 bricks with profound craft appearance.
The 6,200-square-meter building passes the French luxury design house’s principles and humanistic culture to its users.
A touch of craftsmanship in Hermès leather workshops
Ghotmeh’s Maroquinerie de Louviers workshops represent the highest environmental performance building in France,
while becoming the first equestrian workshop to be established outside of Paris.
To showcase local knowledge, the building is constructed from more than 500,000 bricks produced within 70 kilometers of Louviers to reduce the impact of construction.
The design is rooted in Lina Qoutma’s “archaeology of the future,”
and the building is literally derived “from the memory of its place on the remains of a Magdalen stove testifying to the relationship between humans and their tools.”
“This endeavor focused on both the architecture of the factory and the way it enhances and preserves its site, in line with the values of the house,” said Hermès.
The factory plan is structurally enclosed in “flowing bricks” along the exterior of the building,
From stretch to stretch, they are arranged at 9-meter intervals to draw a perfect square from face to face.
The building creates a spacious inner courtyard where hammocks are located around the patio,
while these arches help to get a lot of light.
The workshops host 260 artisans trained at Louviers École Hermès des savoir-faire,
It is its own vocational training center (CFA) accredited by the French Ministry of Education that offers the CAP Professional Diploma in Leather Industry.
This building also includes a saddlery workshop to support the dynamic equestrian market.
It is located historically at 24 rue de Faubourg Saint-Honoré, in Paris.
Design features
The workshops employ 260 leather workers and also house saddlers as well as staff in administration, logistics and HR roles.
Among other things. Inside the workshops, artisans will produce bags,
small leather goods, saddles and bridles.
Lina Ghotmeh, founder of Lina Ghotmeh – Architecture said:
“This project stands out as a reflection of the history and values of Hermès with the letter as a starting point and an endpoint.”
She added, “Before drawing the line, I and my workshop conducted multiple ‘excavations’:
Research on the history of this place, local resources, and the peculiarities of this environment,
And the land of Normandy, with its wet and loamy land, is ready to be styled.”
According to the architect, the building was shaped around “resistance and lightness”.
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