Location: La Guerche-sur-l’Aubois, France.

Architect: Spirale Architecture.

The project involved the rehabilitation of an old tile factory, Tuilerie Sauvard, into a Centre for Interpretation of Architecture and Heritage (CIAP). The building, considered a significant industrial heritage site, has become a museum showcasing the industrial history of the region. The objectives of the centre include raising awareness of the architectural, urban, and landscape quality of the area, promoting the architectural heritage, and providing quality tours to tourists. The project has created a new tourism dynamic and is of great importance to the region. The Pays d’art et d’histoire label has cultural, tourist, social, and economic implications, including better knowledge of heritage, professionalization of the region, economic valorization of local resources, and the creation of a quality image. The project’s scenography focuses on the creation and genesis of the region around four elements: water, earth, fire, and humans. These elements have allowed the region to develop through architecture and industry. The tile factory and its Hoffmann furnace, which produced tiles for 24 hours without stopping in the 19th century, and the proximity to the Berry canal, are perfect examples of this development. The project’s design preserves the building’s exterior architecture and interior ambiance, emphasizing the traces of its industrial past. The project’s website and social media accounts provide more information.