Bespoke architectural design
Layout by Crézé
Interior design is Crézé’s broadest spectrum of work. Room for creativity and the multiple use of materials such as steel, brass, stainless steel and bronze, with textures, patinas and finishes that can be adapted as required. The diversity of creations is infinite. Artists, architects, designers, decorators, interior decorators and engineering consultants are given free rein to personalize their creations and enhance a space, a place or a concept.
For private customers, every room in the house can be the subject of a unique creation: a staircase, a banister, an interior glass roof, a shower screen, a wall light, door handles, designer furniture, decorative objects…
In public spaces and heritage sites, the range of products is equally vast: from reception areas to museum displays, from footbridges to candelabras… everything is designed to invite passers-by to contemplate and enter a remarkable site.
For companies, it’s a formidable communication tool, both distinctive and highly differentiating.
Our achievments
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Restoration – Locksmithing Hôtel de la Marine
Inaugurated in June 2021 after 5 years of work, the Hôtel de la Marine is an architectural jewel that has adorned the Place de la Concorde for over 260 years.
Taking part in this exceptional restoration, Crézé had the privilege of restoring, in particular, all the interior and exterior locksmithing of the Hôtel de la Marine. The design and renovation of these locks: gates, doors, railings, etc. were carried out in our workshop in Saint-Jacques-de-la-Lande, near Rennes.
Our company also installed the locksmith’s work we did in the interiors of this building, which has been classified as a historical monument since 1923, and on the gates and doors overlooking the Place de la Concorde.
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Oratory – La Grande Bretèche Tours
New chapel made of steel and hand-blown glass, set in a 15th century chapel.
Crézé’s mission: creation and installation of an oratory, carried out in collaboration with the Ateliers du maître verrier Helmbold and the architectural firm Le Moal. The structural shape facilitates the penetration of light and the careful acoustics of the oratory. The specificity of this work allows the doors to be opened on the entire façade towards the nave when the public is present and to be closed again for a more intimate ceremony.
From a technical point of view, this oratory is made of Jansen joinery and is 6 meters high, 13 meters long and 5 meters wide.
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Tailored stainless steel fittings in Paris
Brushed stainless steel with champagne hue and curved glazing
For this refurbishment of a luxury residence on Bd Malesherbes in Paris, Crézé provided all stainless steel fittings, including three automatic vestibules, lift sprays and plinths, all with a champagne varnish that still allows the brushed finish to be seen. The 3D curved glass is an exclusive feature in itself, and was created through a close collaboration between Crézé and Goude Glass. A very contemporary project with beautiful curves, designed by Archibuild.
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Exclusive metal design in London
French artisanal skills in Chelsea
These luxury apartments at Parker Tower, designed by studio Mickaëlis Boyd, required the different living areas to be elegantly and discretely divided. The dressing room and bathroom fit perfectly with the harmony of the space.
Efficient collaboration with Raison Home.
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Japanese pathway at Château des Loges
The cherry on the icing for the park
This fine elegant bridge drawing inspiration from Japan disguises its size well: 19 m long and 3 m wide, while being strong enough to support a 10 T tractor for maintaining the wooded island. Around the lake is a terrace fitted with an ironwork guardrail.
Many thanks to the landscaping firm Couasnon for the great collaboration on this project!
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Car-port on the outskirts of Vilaine
Modern car-port to fit in perfectly with stylish home
Protection from the sun, and electricity charging point for cars, with consoles from forged steel to tie in with the house next to it.
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Creation of stylish object
Hervé Perrin - Le Cendrier (The Ashtray)
Steel, stainless steel, brass and all their variants (wax, patina, polishing) can adorn a private owner’s home: staircases, banisters, chimney hoods, bathroom accessories, wall lights, fountains and various decorative objects.
Each and every project is unique and has a single goal in mind: to meet the customer’s desires and find its natural place within an existing environment. Refined shapes, elegant curves, functional or stylish objects – anything can be invented and modelled…Simple shapes and elegant materials intertwine so each item can find its place.
These materials also have a place in public areas for welcoming visitors:
- Indoors: reception area, railings, museum displays, ornamental chandelier or door handles.
- Outdoors, with special treatment: signs or poster fixtures, shop displays or candelabras.
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Hôtel des impôts
Sculpture made of sheet aluminium
Structure inspired by Da Vinci’s icosahedron drawing, made of aluminium sheeting.
Size of the sculpture: 10 metres.
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Conseil d’État in Paris
Bronze patina candelabras
Bronze patina candelabras, blown glass, creation of an upper ventilation system.
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Lanterns at the Peninsula
Copper and brass lanterns
The Peninsula’s lanterns were made according to the drawings provided by the AFFINE Richard MARTINET firm.
They are attached to the façade of a luxury Parisian hotel, and light up its front face.
The materials used include copper for the structure and the ornamental brass castings were gilded with gold leaf. The copper was burnished.
Beyond the lanterns’ visible simplicity and their sober elegance hides a delicate structure and its finishes: it was up to us to comply with the architect’s project and at the same time tie in all the technical constraints – harmony of the rounded blown glass, required watertightness – without withholding any of the desired aesthetics.
Assembly was ensured in our workshops, and we also took care of on-site installation.
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Memorial in Bruz
Corten steel patina
The real name of Corten steel is: steel with improved atmospheric corrosion resistance.
A while ago, we realised that adding copper to mild steel improves its resistance to corrosion.
Other alloy components such as chromium, nickel, phosphorus and aluminium were used to create steel variants that become more resistant to corrosion in certain environments.
Steels with improved atmospheric corrosion resistance are low-alloyed steels, referred to as weathering steels or self-weathering steels – because in certain exposure conditions they are able to cover themselves with a protective coating known as patina.
Memorial in Bruz (35) made of Corten sheet metal. Corten steel patina.
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Exhibition display
Brass and steel patina
Sculpture on a polished patina brass base.
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Eiffel Tower logo
Brass and steel patina
The Eiffel Tower logo symbolises Paris, its elegance and its technological prowess.
The transposition of a smaller-scale logo at the entrance of the Galeries Lafayette was intended for more symbolism, to arouse the curiosity of passers-by: taut cables held by small balls and attached onto a see-through panel for a modern and discrete display.
Looking at a wider vision to focus on the full shape of the design instead of its details, the overall imprint remains in the eye and visitors are reminded of the symbol that helps them understand the full picture.
The drawing of this miniature Eiffel Tower was inspired by string art, whose main asset is the continuity of lines in a given space. Once the project had been drawn up, the fixtures were attached onto the Plexiglas, and from then on the cables simply needed to be affixed. Ultimate stage: the wooden display unit that looks exactly like neighbouring displays will ensure the public’s safety when walking around the work.
Height: 3.60 metres – 3 millimetre cable – Diameter of the stainless steel circle: 6 centimetres.
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Mitterrand mall
Metalwork for outdoor furnitures
When arriving in Rennes, the lay-out of the Mitterrand Mall offers a new vision of the city’s perspectives – a city that is so pleasant to stroll around.
Metalwork was given star billing: footbridges and galvanised steel staircases, brass banisters with stainless steel handrails.
These features fit into a natural environment with benches for tired walkers, decorative structures and play areas for children and adults alike.
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Sculptures
Sculptures forged using stainless steel "water - earth - fire - air"
Artists or those who love art will not be outdone.
Be it from our collaboration with Michel de Broin, or the small and discrete sculptures under the Galeries Lafayette skylight. They included us in their project and gave us full control of it. For the greatest delight of all those who love to wander around new places.
The four small sculptures – created by Rémi Crézé – brought the final touch to the creative vision of the Galeries Lafayette skylight project.
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Carmen
Metal sculpture by Annick Leroy
From the staircase to the slope, the effort put in was as big as the upward slope itself – and it was particularly steep, even for a lovely Breton lady named Carmen!
We worked in support of the artist (Annick Leroy) to ensure the delicate installation of her sculpture: Carmen is riding up a rope and her balance is ensured by a 200-kg counterweight.
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Railings in front of the courthouse in Lorient
Ironwork that brings a strong graphic identity
Design of a very high powder-coated railing, used as a protective vestibule at the entrance of the courthouse. The ironwork, lacquered in gold, boasts varying numbers of twists to avoid the feeling of repetition. The entrance is adorned with an automated sliding gate. A creation full of character.
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FRAC contemporary art museum
Contemporary steel furniture
Creation of contemporary furniture. A structure that associates wood with waxed blue steel sheets. Highly elaborate aesthetics with sheet junctions that were cut and adjusted to 45° so as not to see their thickness.
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Hall in Paris
Sober design of an entrance hall and a courtyard
Modernity and sobriety were key words when creating this Parisian entrance hall combined with a welcoming inner courtyard, with its curved and relaxing lines.
The inner architectural design boasts an interesting textured effect with the black and waxed metallised, sanded, patina steel sheeting. The lift’s sprays are made of 8 mm-thick curved sheet metal. The signpost is made of 15 mm aged, patina, waxed sheet metal.
With regard to the inner courtyard, the benches on the suspended footbridge that hangs above the garden are made of patina, varnished steel sheeting. The stylish ashtray is made with shiny polished stainless steel.
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Shower screen
Stylish stainless steel accessory
A contemporary bathroom fitted with a stainless steel tube-shaped curved, polished, shiny shower screen with ornamental tabs on the laminated glass.
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Samsic head office in Cesson-Sévigné
Custom design layout with metallic structure
An original and large-scale creation for Samsic’s head office. The ornamental powder-coated metallic structure is decorated with opal laminated glass. The overall architecture was founded on the effect of a projected drop of water, offering visitors curved buildings – like waves emanating from a central axis. Water – as the symbol of Brittany – and greenery have pride of place here, namely thanks to the Asian-inspired gardens.
The “drop of water” building is surmounted with a glass dome. This roof aims to turn a constraint (hiding technical equipment, namely the air-conditioning and heating units) into an easily-recognisable architectural feat, visible from Rennes’ ring-road.
The entrance hall is bedecked with a steel and glass curtain wall to make movement easier within the building, with the help of banisters, footbridges and a lift. The glass floor reflects the architectural elements and reinforces the building’s depth.
At the very top of this hall, visitors can admire the monumental sculpture created by Annick Leroy – an artist from Rennes – which is a reproduction of the photography “Lunchtime atop a skyscraper” taken in 1932 during the construction of the Rockefeller Center in New York. The structure’s ceiling needed to be reinforced to support this work and welcome the seven characters on their girder, weighing a total of 1.3 tonnes.
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Inner courtyard
Inner courtyard walkway arrangement
Breathing more space into the inner courtyard with a powder coated steel walkway, decorated to hide its functional side (dustbins, bike rack and air-conditioning) without blocking it out completely.
Layout Restoration of Thabor park kiosque
Its light and refined silhouette is well-known by those who stroll down the paths in the Thabor park. To perpetuate its long history, major restoration work was required.
Crézé was entrusted with being the sole contractor for the restoration of this kiosque – a strong symbol from the 19th century romantic era. The roof was removed, new cast iron gusset plates were made, the framework was reinforced, enamelled iron crests were fashioned and new banisters were added to each side of the staircase.
Read about the know-how of all these tradespeople who contribute to perpetuating common architectural heritage in the book « Les métiers d’art au service du Patrimoine » – Le Kiosque du Thabor – Editions Apogée.
What is wrought ironwork?
Ironwork refers to the use of wrought iron or metal parts in the design of building interiors or exteriors to create decorative, functional or structural elements. Ironwork is the art and practice of working metal, particularly iron, to produce metal parts or structures.
Metalwork is appreciated for its uniqueness and craftsmanship, as well as for its ability to add an artistic and decorative dimension to interior and exterior spaces. It allows architectural elements to be personalized, creating unique pieces that reflect the style and preferences of the owner or designer.
The different types of wrought iron fittings
In interiors, wrought-iron railings are used along staircases, balconies or terraces for safety reasons, but they also serve as decorative elements. They can feature complex patterns and artistic details. Wrought-iron balustrades are vertical structures used to protect the edges of stairs, terraces or balconies. They can be highly decorative and personalized. Wrought-iron lighting fixtures, such as pendant lamps, wall sconces and chandeliers, are made using forged metal materials to create unique light patterns.
Ironwork gates are often handcrafted entrance elements with decorative designs. They are used to delimit the entrance to a property or garden. Ironwork fences are used to delimit the boundaries of a property or outdoor space. They can be functional or decorative, depending on the needs of the project.
Ironwork is often used to create personalized decorative elements, such as grilles, window designs, fireplace parts, mirror frames, door handles, towel rails, etc. In architecture, ironmongery can be used to create structural structures, such as arches, trellises, decorative beams, canopies and so on.
