d+a | Issue 126 • 2022

41 on Georges Couthon Avenue. The outdoor furniture, greenery and water displays ensure freshness in the summertime,” says Delon. The vast glass façade is protected from the sun’s rays by wooden awnings that cover the entirety of the Carmes Square-facing front. The horizontal and elevated curves in the façade’s architecture mirror the outlines of Michelin’s tyres, giving the entire building an aesthetic that shapes an authentic new identity for the corporation. “The main façade needed to be completely transparent. Windows however, implied a risk of overheating. To counter this, awnings that spread over two levels naturally became a solution to protect from sun exposure while acting as a unifying element for the site. We chose to showcase these awnings without exaggerating their scale or aiming a specific feat,” says Delon. sustainably built It was important to Michelin that their material and transportation choices have minimal impact on the environment, so Encore Heureux used predominantly locally and sustainably sourced materials for the construction. Locally procured materials such as volcanic rock and wood from Corrèze and Massif Central contributed to 85% of the project’s raw materials. For the architects, this project was also an experimentation in large-scale upcycling and repurposing. Repurposed materials were used for all of the windows of the glasshouse and sanitary elements. An electrical transformer that hails from another one of Michelin’s Clermont-Ferrand sites, and 1,100 sqm of oak floors from a 1950s office building in Roubaix in northern France were also used for the project. “Far from being a classic approach, this project developed a thought-process centred on materials in their ecological, economic, and local aspects. The Canopy allowed for an application of experimental practices that were often exclusively used for confidential projects until now, demonstrating the use of repurposed, sustainably sourced materials for a multinational company’s headquarters,” says Delon. Encore Heureux sees The Canopy’s focus on transparency and proximity as demonstration of Michelin’s accountability to its region and France, and to the environment. “The new building is not just a new corporate headquarters’ reception area, but also a transitional space between the city of Clermont- Ferrand and the heart of Michelin,” says Delon. nicola delon Founding partner, Encore Heureux The sun-lit reception area now includes exhibition and shopping spaces, offices and meeting rooms, and a café.