How about a step back in time? We are standing before the Manufacture des Oeillets. This place whispers tales of industry, art, and reinvention.
The Manufacture des Oeillets began its life in 1832. Guillaume Bac started a workshop in Paris. He produced pen holders, pens and inkwells. Around 1856, the Bac family moved to Ivry. But the factory remained in Paris for a while longer.
In 1890, Guillaume’s son Charles Bac began building the Ivry factory. It included a large hall and a caretaker’s pavilion. By 1895, the Manufacture des Oeillets employed 245 people. They produced pen holders and metal eyelets. These eyelets reinforced holes in fabrics or leather.
The Maison Bac merged with the Compagnie Française in 1899. This company specialized in metal pens in Boulogne-sur-Mer. Pen production moved to Boulogne in 1904. Only the eyelet production remained at the Ivry factory. The factory was then officially named the French Manufacture of Metal Eyelets.
The Manufacture des Oeillets became part of United Shoe in 1905. This American multinational made machines for the shoe industry. The new owners expanded and modernized the factory. In 1913, engineer Paul Sée oversaw a large construction project. He built a tower overlooking the courtyard. He also added the first six bays of the “American” building. This design mirrored United Shoe’s factory in Beverly.
The “American” building was functional and modern. It let in light and air. The architecture was ahead of its time. It became one of France’s earliest examples of functionalism. United Shoe brought its management style to the Manufacture des Oeillets. They created social programs. These included worker gardens, mutual aid societies and retirement plans. These plans equaled workers’ salaries.
In 1923, the eyelet workshops moved to new buildings in Ivry. These buildings no longer exist. Turner Tanning Machinery Company moved into the vacated hall. This company produced machines for the tanning industry. Bombardments damaged the Manufacture des Oeillets in August 1944. A side facade of the building collapsed.
The Manufacture Française des Oeillets was occupied in May 1968. This happened together with the United factory. Concerns about the environment grew over the years. Eventually certain dangerous productions stopped. The site gradually closed in the 1980s.
A group of artists bought part of the site in 1988. Éric Danel, an architect, bought the central part in 1989. He created a multidisciplinary cultural space. The hall, American building, and caretaker’s house were listed as historical monuments in 1996.
The Manufacture des Oeillets closed its doors in 2001. The École Professionnelle Supérieure d’Arts Graphiques et d’Architecture de la Ville de Paris (EPSAA) moved into the American building. In 2009, the city of Ivry bought the Manufacture des Oeillets. Their plan was to create the Centre Dramatique National du Val-de-Marne. The Théâtre des Quartiers d’Ivry moved there in late 2016.
Today the Manufacture des Oeillets is a hub for artistic creation. It houses the EPSAA, the Crédac contemporary art center, and the Théâtre des Quartiers d’Ivry. The Manufacture des Oeillets continues to evolve. It stands as a testament to Ivry’s industrial past. It also shows the city’s commitment to arts and culture.