Ancien tissage Louis Lepoutre

English translation

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History

Constructed in 1921-23, the Louis Lepoutre textile mill is only one element, but a very symbolic one, of one of the great spinning mills of the North. This textile factory (combing, spinning, weaving), whose area covers more than four hectares, located on the boulevard Industriel, enclosed by a boundary wall, is one of the master pieces of the establishments founded in the middle of the 19th century by Auguste Lepoutre (1825-1903), by whom the first factory of this family of industrialists was established. Due to architect Marcel Forest, specialist in utilitarian buildings, the factory was begun by the lodge and offices located along the boulevard Industriel, and continued by groups of workers' dwellings (1923). A chimney bears the date of construction of the factory. The former weaving workshop, entirely in brick, is dominated by a tower at the north-west corner, at the intersection of chaussée Pierre-Curie and rue Colbert. Of rectangular plan, this tower for use as a water tower rises over four floors and ends on a terrace with balustrade. The workshop aligns its large street façades (150 metres on rue Colbert), pierced by paired rectangular openings, decorated like the boundary wall with white brick outlining by simple geometric motifs the uniform red brick. The factory today serves for storage.