Michelin & partners break ground on Cataroux site project

Reporting the official groundbreaking of a Collaborative Innovation Center at the company’s Cataroux site in France on 3 April, the Michelin Group says the ceremony “marks a major milestone” in this innovation-focused project, which it considers the only one of its kind in Europe. Michelin and four other entities – Crédit Agricole Centre France, Banque des Territoires, Caisse d’Epargne Auvergne Limousin and Puy-de-Dôme Clermont Auvergne Métropole Chamber of Commerce and Industry – have spearheaded the project since 2020, investing 61 million euros in a facility that will serve as a nexus for business and innovation stakeholders, accommodating 2,500 individuals daily and generating 40 direct jobs. The Center is scheduled to open in December 2025.

Managed by Cardinal Promotion, the development adheres to an active environmental approach, achieving a ‘very good’ BREEAM rating. The programme stands out for its revitalisation of a significant portion of Michelin’s historical industrial site, transformed into a vibrant hub for work, living, and well-being.

The project is situated at the heart of the rapidly evolving 42-hectare Cataroux Park site and is conceived by Z Architecture. Some 50 companies in all, primarily regional enterprises, along with 150 partners are working together to erect five building clusters within a single, multifaceted arena. Michelin characterises the Center as a ‘city within a city’, offering opportunities for work, rest, dining, leisure, and ideation.

Gordon Bennett!

Further describing the facility, Michelin comments that the pervasive use of wood, both structurally and aesthetically, resonates throughout the project, harmonising with the verdant surroundings to enhance thermal comfort indoors and outdoors during summer. Optimised architecture and landscaping strategies minimise the consumption of raw materials and energy-intensive systems, ensuring optimal user comfort while mitigating environmental impact. The development’s mantra is: don’t demolish – adapt and replant.

Outside, vegetation has been integrated across a 11,000 m² area, predominantly within internal gardens and Gordon Bennett Square, fostering a thriving urban ecosystem.

Management company Turing 22 will offer an array of services, including co-working and co-living spaces, a food court featuring five kiosks, a bar, bakery, gym, beauty salon, and performance venue.

Beyond its physical dimensions, the Center will serve as a focal point for a dedicated community, significantly enhancing the area’s image and economic vitality. It will welcome businesses of all scales and innovation stakeholders united by shared values and a commitment to impactful projects.

Revitalising former Cataroux site

The Center is one of the four pillars of Cataroux Park, an expansive initiative spearheaded by the Michelin Group to revitalise unused space at its historic Cataroux site in Clermont Ferrand city centre.

Announced in January 2020, Cataroux Park aims to stimulate innovation and drive economic and social prosperity on local and regional levels. Supported by numerous private entities and local authorities, notably Clermont Auvergne Métropole, the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, and the French State, the project encompasses four pillars poised to forge robust prospects for the area’s economic, educational, and cultural landscape: the Talent Factory, the Sustainable Materials Centre, the Pistes District, and, prominently, the Collaborative Innovation Center.