ARCHIPENTE

ARCHIPENTE, specialises in off-site timber construction and High Environmental Quality (HEQ).
ARCHIPENTE is an agency founded in 1982 in Montbrison (Loire department) by Dominique Molard, an architect committed to the environment since 1978. Its Paris branch was established in 2012 by Édouard Molard, following seven years of experience in renowned agencies such as Ateliers Lion Associés and Beckmann N'Thépé Architects. The location of this Parisian branch for eight years in the heart of Fablab WoMa, an architectural prototyping workshop equipped with machining and 3D printing machines, reflects ARCHIPENTE's commitment to research and development.

Today, the agency's workforce is divided between the workshop in Montbrison (Rue du Repos) and the workshop in Paris (Rue de Naples, 8th arrondissement). As a specialist in bioclimatic timber architecture, ARCHIPENTE has attracted numerous clients who share its primary goal: achieving carbon neutrality in buildings. Its projects consume little or no non-renewable energy and require minimal maintenance. Nonetheless, they are delivered within very short timeframes, thanks to expertise in off-site construction techniques. Local timber supply chains, bio-based materials, and short supply chains are systematically favored. At ARCHIPENTE, the environmental approach is not a passing trend but rather its raison d'être since its early projects under the leadership of Dominique Molard:

- In 1982, the energy-efficient H2E85 residence in Montbrison consumed only 33 kWh/m²/year for heating, a value validated by two years of measurement by the CETE de L'Isle-d'Abeau. The project was thirty years ahead of the RT2012 regulations.
- In 1994, the Albanais High School in Rumilly (Haute-Savoie) became the largest wooden structure building constructed in France at that time (with a wood volume of 1,400 m3 for 10,000 m2 of usable area).
- In 1998, the Villard-Bonnot High School (Isère) became the first "HEQ" high school in the Rhône-Alpes region. Natural light and summer comfort were its primary targets.

Between 2010 and 2012, two more projects were recognized (through conferences and press) for their innovative approach:

- The Veauche College (Loire) for its energy consumption of 40 kWh/m²/year, pellet heating (25 kWh/m²/year), low soil sealing, rainwater recovery, summer comfort, and natural lighting in its circulation areas.
- The Maison des Ainés in Montbrison, a positive energy housing facility for the elderly, became the first "passive" certified building in the Loire department, and it was awarded the "Habitat solaire Habitat d'aujourd'hui," "Observ'ER," and "Habitat durable" prizes.




ARCHIPENTE, the partners

Dominique Molard (architect DENSAIS): Graduate of the National School of Arts and Industries (Strasbourg), European Master's in Timber Construction from EPFL (Lausanne, Switzerland).

Édouard Molard (architect DENSAIS): Graduate of the National School of Arts and Industries (Strasbourg), certified European Passive Building Designer CEPH+ (Passive House), B.I.M. reference person (Level 2 certification).