Mapei World Paris, a place of excellence in the heart of Paris

“Mapei World Paris” is a new lively, training and working place created by the Mapei Group in a European city that sets the benchmark in the building and design industries. The new facility, which opened last March, is located in a rapidly evolving area of Paris, just 10 minutes’ walk from the Georges Pompidou National Centre of Art and Culture designed by Renzo Piano, Gianfranco Franchini and Richard Rogers. Following the opening of Mapei Specification Centres in London and Milan, now Paris has a multi-purpose space showcasing Mapei’s leadership and unique role in the building world.

Yet another space exemplifying Mapei’s determination to work closely with designers to meet their needs and bring their ideas to fruition. And not just designers: Mapei World Paris is also designed for architects, distributors of products for the building industry, contractors, installers, site managers and institutional bodies… in a nutshell, all the key players in the French and international building industry.

Mapei World Paris plans to become a key player on the French and global modern-day architectural scene.

It is no coincidence that it is located in Paris: as well as boasting famous contemporary works of architecture (like the Bercy 2 Shopping Mall, Arab World Institute, Cartier Foundation, Vuitton Foundation, Musee du Quai Branly and D2 Tower), the capital of France will also host the 2024 Olympic Games and plans to show off its “grandeur” at this global event. The futuristic project devised for the Olympic Games includes 3 billion Euro investment in infrastructures to be used both to redevelop existing facilities and creates temporary sites at strategic points around the city. The innovative idea is to bring the games to the very heart of Paris. This means that there will be no need to build mega-structures in the region’s suburbs and the French capital will be a key player hosting Olympic sports in a truly beautiful setting.

Mapei was bound to be present in such a crucial environment, supplying its wide range of solutions for designing and constructing all kinds of buildings.

DIVERSE SPACES, DIVERSE PURPOSES

Mapei France hopes that opening this new facility will make its brand even more visible and well-known both domestically and around the world, providing its partners with more information about its products and common issues in the building industry, encouraging the exchange of work experience between professionals in the sector, strengthening business partnerships and promoting the “Mapei spirit” even further afield through special events.

This new workplace is divided into several spaces, each devoted to different activities, like drawing specifications, training, co-working and the (even informal) sharing of information.

The ground floor holds the “boîte” or box, an area that allows visitors to delve into the world of Mapei and discover its history, values, operations and solutions. With the help of digital content, the “boîte” provides an introduction into the world of Mapei through a very special and digital experience. A wall illustrating Mapei’s DNA retraces the main stepping-stones in its corporate history and business successes assisted by a map showing the Group’s subsidiaries and manufacturing plants all over the world. Samples of Mapei systems and products are also on display, providing an overview of the various solutions the company offers people working in the building industry. Here visitors can also find interactive content about the world of sport. The whole basement is dedicated to training and hosts the local “Mapei Academy”. The training spaces provide to installers expert advices and knowledge with theoretical sessions and practical demonstrations, all carried out in special individual boxes. This approach allows installers to learn, experiment and apply, to become familiar with the best solutions for their day-to-day work. The mezzanine level contains the Specification Center, a space allocated for designers and clients interested in discussing projects and sharing experiences in a co-working setting. This is an extremely important area because it allows Mapei technicians to study various aspects of projects right from the earliest phases, so that they can solve miscellaneous construction problems with the help of designers. In this same place, a corner bar called “Expresso” allows to exchange ideas around a good Italian coffee. The second floor accommodates two spaces for meetings, a conference room with a capacity of up to 20 people and a meeting space for smaller groups. These premises are designed to facilitate and reinforce relations with potential customers and business partners.

Mapei solutions, such as wall coatings and flooring systems, have been used in the premises. Entering Mapei World Paris is an enjoyable way of finding out and fully understanding a whole range of clear and simple information, thanks also to a selection of minimalist furniture that fits in perfectly.

THE OPENING CEREMONY

The presentation of the new Mapei World Paris to the public was a three-day event providing guests with plenty of information and entertainment. Everything began on the afternoon of 26^th March, when a press conference was held for specialist journalists. Speeches were given by Veronica Squinzi, Global Development Director of the Mapei Group, Christophe Jeauneau, Managing Director of Mapei France, Béatrice Gladel, Marketing Manager of Mapei France, and Stéphanie Eskinazi, Head of Communication and Digital Information in Mapei France’s Marketing Department. Journalists were told why this new facility has been opened and shown around its spaces.

At 6.30 p.m. the facility opened its doors to customers - mainly architects and designers – and Mapei France’s business partners: Veronica Squinzi and Christophe Jeauneau explained how this new facility fits into Mapei’s plans to strengthen and boost its operations in France, a country were the Group has been operating for a long time. Refreshments were served to draw the evening to a close and a thought-reader provided plenty of entertainment for everybody taking part. More guests (85 over three days) were welcomed to the Mapei World Paris over the next few days and entertained with tours around the various areas, music, photo sessions and special meals.

It is time you came to visit the new centre in Paris or other similar facilities opened by Mapei in key areas (see the dedicated article)!