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Interviews

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Scale-up Interview with Vincent Huguet, Co-CEO and Co-founder of Malt

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Scale-up Interview with Juliette Lévy, Founder and CEO of Oh My Cream.

### Nicolas Micallef and Jules Dubois shared their vision of the office as a lever for business transformation with Challenges Magazine.

Convinced that a well-designed workspace is an essential and formidable tool for companies aiming to go far and fast, Nicolas and Jules revisit the origins of the Factory adventure, their current profession, and their clients.

An article to discover here (in French): **https://www.challenges.fr/entreprise/en-forte-croissance-factory-reinvente-les-espaces-professionnels-de-demain_899090**

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Factory in Challenges Magazine.

### Factory's real estate division sometimes works miracles.

It's worth noting that Marie Lichtenberg, the founder of the eponymous jewelry brand, had a precise brief. She wanted to find her new office-showroom space within a 200-meter radius of her home, in the heart of Saint Germain des Prés.

With perseverance, a bit of intuition, valuable contacts, and a stroke of luck, Nicolas Hanart and his team managed to find her the perfect spot: a reception apartment on the first floor of a private mansion, exactly two minutes away from her home on foot.

Two minutes is precisely the time it will take Marie to step out of her shower and head to her new showroom. Maybe this is the new telecommuting!

And to celebrate this mission accomplished in record time, Marie participated in a quirky photoshoot through the lens of Benjamin Loyseau.

The opening is scheduled for October. Stay tuned…

To learn more about Marie Lichtenberg: **https://marielichtenberg.com/en/**

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Mission Saint Germain des Prés for Marie Lichtenberg!

Prospects

### This week, it's Nicolas Hanart, Director of the Real Estate Strategy Division (and incidentally, the first employee of Factory), who speaks in Maddyness alongside Fanny Lamarque, Director of Workplace Environment at Keolis, to address the complex question: how much does an office cost?

On a daily basis, Nicolas helps companies better understand the actual cost of their workspaces to optimize them by asking the right questions.

Indeed, the dashboard has shifted from cost per square meter to indicators related to the employees themselves because, as you might have noticed, companies need to offer much more than square meters to bring teams back to the office.

And because one article won’t be enough to cover the vast subject of real estate strategy, we plan to give Nicolas the floor again to answer (almost) all your questions.
Stay tuned...

The full article published (in French) on July 4, 2024, is available on the **[Maddyness](https://www.maddyness.com/2024/07/04/du-cout-au-m2-au-taux-depanouissement-des-collaborateurs-comment-redefinir-la-performance-de-mes-bureaux/)** website.

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From Cost per Square Meter to Employee Fulfillment Rate: How to Redefine Real Estate Assets?

### Committed to enhancing the employee experience in every detail, we wanted to create our own olfactory signature for our offices. The house of Quintessence, specializing in creating olfactory identities for brands, was an obvious choice to accompany us in this creative process.
### Here, we share the origins of this story by giving the floor to Valentine Pozzo di Borgo, founder of Quintessence.

### What is the story of Quintessence? How did it all begin?

As a student, I didn’t think I would go into perfumery, even though my family predisposed me to it, being the great-great-granddaughter of Xavier Givaudan, the founder of the eponymous company that invented the first synthetic flavors.

But it seems that family history caught up with me because after studying finance at the University of Dauphine, I wanted to start my own creative agency focused on olfaction. My mother joined me in the adventure, and together, we created Quintessence to help brands develop their olfactory identities.

### How did you meet Factory?

I met Factory through Creative Director Jérôme Laan, who is a good friend. We quickly discussed the idea of creating an olfactory identity for the offices, which were then undergoing renovation.

Even though we work in different fields, I share with Factory the idea that a client or employee experience should be considered in its entirety. We tend to limit ourselves to what is tangible and visible, while all senses are awakened when shopping in a store or working in an office.

The sense of smell, in particular, is very powerful and often underestimated. It is even the most powerful sense in terms of emotion. Few people can describe and thus distance themselves from what they smell, whereas our brain never forgets the odors that have marked it. Thinking about the olfactory identity of a place allows people to connect with their environment and the people they interact with, and this idea of connection is essential for both brands and companies.

In reality, our job is quite similar to Factory’s. While Factory translates a brand culture into workspaces, we translate it into a scent.

### How did you work in our offices?

Choosing a scent is very subjective, so everything started with a discussion between our fragrance expert and Nicolas Micallef, who talked to us about his vision of Factory, his desires, tastes (and dislikes). For the work to be interesting, there must be total freedom. One must know how to listen and describe very personal emotions. The role of the fragrance expert is to translate this vision into scents through the words and images used by the client.

Nicolas quickly spoke to us about Factory’s offices, not just as simple work and production spaces, but as a living place open to different audiences where teams must feel good. There was a hotel-like dimension to the project.

We created a unique scent for Factory that we called Tabac d’Argent. It is both very elegant and reassuring, with woody notes that evoke solidity and stability, thereby instilling confidence. In offices, it’s important not to be disturbed by a scent but rather to be accompanied by it.

### What do your own offices look like?

Our offices are terribly messy! It’s a small house in the 17th arrondissement of Paris on several floors, with a lovely view of a patch of greenery and our own laboratory. Inside, it’s a real hive with packages, people, ideas, and desires coming and going constantly. We are above all creatives, and I personally need this little chaos and energy to have ideas, move forward, and work well.

### Is it important to work in a beautiful environment? What are your rituals for getting to work?

It’s important to have a beautiful office and to feel good, like at home. But for me, creativity is synonymous with life, and I need a constant buzz. That’s why I like working in cafés. I never isolate myself. My door is always open. And to get to work, I walk briskly through Paris.

### Finally, what is your definition of beauty?

It’s obviously very subjective, but if I delve into my personal tastes, I love green, polished concrete for the way the material captures light, the smells of wood, especially cedar. But beyond this list, I believe what I prefer is to be surprised. I love the unexpected, the unforeseen, and it shows in my offices.

To learn more about Quintessence Paris: **https://www.quintessence-paris.com/en**

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Factory & Friends: Meeting with Valentine Pozzo di Borgo from Quintessence.

### This week, Adrien Pouillot, a sociology graduate and strategic planner at Factory, speaks for Maddyness to explain how the office can become an ally for our mental health.

The key, as often, is to focus on usage and friction points, such as noise, which generate stress and aggression.

It is also about creating spaces that facilitate concentration at a time when we are increasingly facing attention difficulties. And when design takes into account the most atypical profiles, it benefits everyone.

Moreover, it is important to think of spaces as facilitators of connections, because isn’t that the main reason we go to the office?

In short, a topic as vast as it is crucial for all those interested in the office of tomorrow.

The full article published (in French) on June 11, 2024, is available on the **[Maddyness](https://www.maddyness.com/2024/06/12/du-bureau-lessiveuse-au-bureau-refuge-comment-les-espaces-de-travail-peuvent-nous-guerir/)** website.

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From the washroom-office to the refuge-office: how our workspaces can heal us.

### Never two without three, SETEC Opency is the third renovation we have carried out for SETEC, an engineering group that designs and supports complex construction projects in various fields.

This time, the project focused on renovating an 800m2 office space, located between Bercy and Gare de Lyon, in an aging high-rise building. The goal? To revitalize the workspace by transitioning from a closed layout to an open space concept, thereby promoting collaboration and the well-being of the 70 employees. With particular attention to ergonomics, SETEC Opency invested in standing desks to adapt the workstations to the individual physique of each person.

The project emphasized the quality of the furniture, with refined and unique choices, combining white legs and wood-effect tops, as well as furniture elements made with innovative materials, such as oyster shells used in the tea room. Throughout the project, we drew inspiration from SETEC Opency’s profession, highlighting noble materials and colors inspired by the construction universe. We also arranged the spaces to facilitate employee access to the exceptional view of the Seine.

SETEC Opency’s involvement in the design process allowed us to create unique and inspiring spaces, where a sense of belonging to the entity is felt in every detail. With an approach centered on analyzing the core business and specific needs of the employees, SETEC Opency successfully transformed this space into a place where it is good to work, reflecting the company’s identity and values.

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Factory for Setec Opency.

### Discover the perspective of Arthur de Charentenay, Director of Transformation at Factory, on the impact of climate change on offices.

At work, global warming will lead to three new risks: unprecedented health problems, new social divides, and a significant drop in productivity. 
Yet, these risks are often underestimated by users, raising the question of whether the world of work is the great forgotten aspect of climate change.

In addition to discussing new regulations that drive innovation, Arthur de Charentenay delves into the topic by distinguishing between anticipation and prevention:
"There is the aspect of anticipating disaster, risk management: if it’s 38 degrees for eight weeks a year instead of three weeks, how do we manage? And there is the aspect of participating in preventive actions: what actions do we take today to prevent these 38 degrees from becoming 40? How does the company become an active and responsible citizen of the world of tomorrow – and how does it engage its employees?"

An article that opens avenues for reflection on how to face a phenomenon as complex as it is urgent.

The full article published (in French) on May 23, 2024, is available on the **[Maddyness](https://www.maddyness.com/2024/05/23/des-cols-blancs-aux-cols-secs-comment-recruter-sous-38/)** website.

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From "White Collars" to "Dry Collars": How to recruit in 38°C weather?

### The story of our collaboration with Amélie Maison d’Art began a few years ago. A meeting and a shared philosophy led us to develop projects together. Here, we tell the genesis of this story by meeting Amélie du Chalard, founder of Amélie Maison d’Art.

### What is the story of Amélie Maison d’Art? How did it all start?
It all started with a favorable family background: I have no talent, but I grew up observing my mother, a sculptor, and was made aware of business aspects by my father, a corporate lawyer. Thus, I quickly developed both an appreciation for artistic underpinnings and an entrepreneurial spirit (in small & mid-cap investment banking).

I left M&A at the end of 2015 and decided to create Amélie Maison d’Art. I lived on Rue Jacob in Saint Germain des Prés, surrounded by galleries, and I noticed that galleries maintained a very traditional and somewhat rigid approach, while all industries were trying to improve their customer experiences.

At the time, my wish was simple: how to shake up the codes of traditional galleries by rethinking the experience one can have in their spaces?

### How did you meet Factory?
I met Factory through a mutual client, Métafore, for whom we manage the artistic curation of their spaces.

We have a lot in common with Factory, starting with the overall philosophy: rethinking a traditional profession, offering a holistic, bespoke, multi-service, and highly client-oriented approach, all with great execution agility.

Our client challenges are also similar. Indeed, we have two main areas of activity: one dedicated to individuals and one dedicated to professionals, including offices and company headquarters (Antin Infrastructures, Freshfields, LVMH, etc.). In this sector, we face the same issues as Factory: offering a very personalized, surprising, and differentiating service that embraces the brand's DNA.

### How did you contribute to our offices?
We contributed to Factory’s offices by selecting and hanging artworks in the common areas. The initial display is intentionally eclectic, knowing that at Amélie Maison d’Art, we favor abstract works and have a strong preference for texture. We approached the dining room with a display of large-format works exploring a diversity of techniques (paintings, works on paper, photographs, etc.) to warm up and animate this large space.

The idea is to regularly change this display; the next one we are preparing will be more radical and more wabi-sabi.

### What do your own offices look like?
Our main offices are on the upper floor of the gallery, which is located on the ground floor of an 18th-century mansion in the 6th arrondissement, overlooking a large 600m² garden. They are simple but elegant: the offices were designed by our architect Tess Walraven, the floor is in coir, the furniture in walnut, everything is simple but functional and chic. There are paintings on the walls, of course, alongside artist sketches and thank-you notes from collectors pinned nearby.

### Is it important to work in a beautiful environment?
I am convinced that the phrase "a healthy mind in a healthy body" could also extend to "a healthy mind in a healthy environment." To work well, you need to feel in your element, and the work environment contributes to this well-being.

### What are your rituals to get into work mode?
A hello, a tea, and off we go!

### And finally, what is your definition of beauty?
Beauty is what makes us feel good and happy; it is subjective: we don’t all have the same needs to feel good. Beauty generates emotions and a sense of satisfaction and admiration in each of us, and while beauty is not universal, we all need it!

To learn more about Amélie Maison d'Art: **https://www.ameliemaisondart.com/en**

_Pictures of Amélie’s offices and the selection by Amélie Maison d’Art at Factory and Oh My Cream._

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Factory & Friends: Meeting with Amélie du Chalard from Amélie Maison d’Art.

### The history of Maison Thévenon spans several generations. Today, it is one of the most recognized furnishing fabric publishers in France, perfectly combining French craftsmanship and contemporary creation. It is around these same values that we met to begin a collaboration, which we recount by giving the floor to Vincent Thévenon.

### What is the history of Maison Thévenon? How did it all start?
It all began in 1908 with lace, a specialty of Puy-en-Velay. My great-grandfather, Victor Thévenon, laid the first stones of a fabulous adventure without realizing that his company would perpetuate French craftsmanship on an international scale decades later.

In the 1980s, the company joined the world of furnishing fabric publishers with Olivier Thévenon, who developed woven and printed fabrics as well as hand-painted fabrics. A colorist and visionary, he revitalized the sector and gave the company an international reputation.

When I took over the family business in 2006, I wanted to infuse it with everything I had learned and inherited: the love of beautiful things and well-done work, the harmony of colors, good taste, simplicity, French craftsmanship, and luxury without arrogance. In fact, I have been immersed in this trade from a very young age.

### How did you meet Factory?
Our Maison is, above all, a family adventure and a journey of friendships built over time. This is how I love to work, by building solid relationships. When I met Nicolas Micallef, I quickly realized that we shared the same taste for excellence, craftsmanship, and simple beauty. Factory was rethinking its headquarters with the idea of highlighting true French craftsmanship, and that’s how our collaboration began.

### How did you contribute to our offices?
We were involved in the new Factory offices by taking charge of all the furnishing fabrics for the common areas. For example, we designed the (very!) large curtains for the restaurant. It was not only about finding a pattern that matched Factory’s universe but also carefully considering the very strict standards related to the operation of the space. More recently, we started an exclusive creation process to design a Factory pattern and outfit other spaces to come.

### What do your own offices look like?
It is essential for me to feel close to my product. My offices, therefore, feature wall hangings that are regularly changed according to my collections and desires, currently a velvet Jacquard inspired by the 1950s and designer Pierre Guariche, which goes very well with my grandfather’s desk from the same era.

### Is it important to work in a beautiful environment? What are your rituals to start working?
I would even say it is essential. To feel good, I need to work in a warm, beautiful, and orderly office with an added soul. I must love every detail of this place; otherwise, my eye is disturbed and, therefore, my mind. Every morning, I start my day with the daily press, a real newspaper not a tablet, and my long coffee.

### And finally, what is your definition of beauty?
For me, beauty is a matter of harmony. It must have a form of obviousness and timelessness. Completely subjectively, green and its hundreds of variations are the colors I find most subtle, vibrant, and elegant. I love warm materials like oak and cold ones like marble. To feel good, I love round and warm shapes that bring me a sense of well-being, with the smell of polished parquet reminding me of the well-maintained and sublimated past.

_In the images: Vincent Thévenon’s offices, Maison Thévenon fabrics at Factory, Casa Lopez and Cordelia de Castellane collections, and the workshops._

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Factory & Friends: Meeting with Vincent Thévenon from Maison Thévenon.

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