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Base Mérimée: Monuments historiques · France

Imprimerie Mame

Tours, Indre-et-Loire, France

The record

Designation
Historic monument, registered (inscrit), in part
Protection
inscrit MH partiellement
Extent of protection
La partie d'origine de l'imprimerie (cad. EL 33) : inscription par arrêté du 23 mars 2000
Protection dates
2000/03/23 : inscrit MH
Type
imprimerie
Main period of construction
3e quart 20e siècle
Dates
1950
Architect or builder
Zehrfuss Bernard (architecte), Marconnet Jean (architecte), Prouvé Jean (architecte), Pillet Edgar (peintre)
Ownership
propriété d'une société privée
Address
49 boulevard Preuilly
Commune
Tours
Département
Indre-et-Loire
Region
Centre-Val de Loire
Country
France
Coordinates
47.39290, 0.66934
Mérimée reference
PA37000009

Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.

University Library, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

5 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1592 map "Topographia Aug. Turon Ducatus et confinium Gallia Cestica ..." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).

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This record on the Ministère de la Culture's POP platform ↗

The Ministère de la Culture's notice

L'imprimerie Mame a été conçue selon le principe esthétique du mouvement Synthèse des Arts, qui tendait à la réalisation d'un art total intégrant peinture et sculpture à l'architecture. L'architecte Bernard Zehrfuss (associé à l'architecte Jean Drieu la Rochelle) , assisté de l'architecte tourangeau Jean Marconnet, l'ingénieur-architecte Jean Prouvé et le peintre Edgar Pillet y ont collaboré. Elle a été construite entre 1950 et 1953. Son architecture rigoureuse orthogonale, modulaire et fonctionnelle a été modifiée dans son plan : ateliers doublés, cloisonnements intérieurs ornés des peintures murales abstraites de Pillet disparus, etc. Les sheds d'aluminium courbes autoportants, conçus par Prouvé et utilisés ici pour la première fois, assurent un éclairage zénithal des ateliers. Quatre pavillons subsistent sur le toit en terrasse (dont le plus remarquable servait de salle de réunion) , recouverts de panneaux modulaires préfabriqués en aluminium strié et de panneaux vitrés. La surface des ateliers a été considérablement augmentée ultérieurement. Tête de Gutenberg dans le fronton au dessus de la porte d'entrée de l'usine.

English translation

The text above is the record as published by the Ministère de la Culture, in French. The English below is a machine translation made by TreeAlive, not by the Ministère de la Culture; it has not been checked by a person. Where the two differ, the original is the record. Report a translation error: privacy@treealive.com

The Mame printing works was designed according to the aesthetic principle of the Synthesis of the Arts movement, which aimed at the realisation of a total art integrating painting and sculpture with architecture. The architect Bernard Zehrfuss (associated with architect Jean Drieu la Rochelle), assisted by Tourangeau architect Jean Marconnet, engineer-architect Jean Prouvé and painter Edgar Pillet collaborated on it. It was constructed between 1950 and 1953. Its rigorous orthogonal, modular and functional architecture was modified in its plan: doubled workshops, interior partitioning adorned with abstract murals by Pillet now disappeared, etc. The curved self-supporting aluminium sheds, conceived by Prouvé and used here for the first time, ensure zenithal lighting of the workshops. Four pavilions remain on the terraced roof (the most remarkable of which served as a meeting room), covered with modular prefabricated panels in striated aluminium and glazed panels. The surface area of the workshops was considerably increased subsequently. Head of Gutenberg in the pediment above the entrance door of the factory.

Nearby in the register

Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.

Base Mérimée, Ministère de la Culture, data last updated 2026-09-17, reused under the Licence Ouverte / Open Licence 2.0 (Etalab). Record text is reproduced unchanged. Ministère de la Culture · Licence Ouverte 2.0
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