the Brick, the Rafter and the southern Sun

Abstract

This study examines the revitalisation of Graulhet's abandoned leather industry sites known as the mégisseries: an industrial typology now obsolete not through its materiality, but through the disappearance of the productive system that once made it operative, and which nonetheless faces demolition due to high renovation and decontamination costs. Rather than treating heritage conservation as a principle in itself, the study asks how such a typology can be read critically and reinvested with new architectural functions, retaining what remains operative within an evolving territory. The methodology includes literature review, site analysis, visits, and stakeholder interviews. Territorial commitment is at the heart of this research, highlighting the interactions between local resources, craft skills and public policies. A case study on local brick highlights the potential and challenges of redeveloping these areas. The results show that, despite their state of disrepair, these buildings offer a resource for urban renewal, provided the approach is one of controlled subtraction rather than blanket preservation or tabula rasa. The research addresses financial and technical challenges, and discusses rehabilitation possibilities through initiatives like the Petite Ville de Demain programme, advocating for an integrated approach that retains key façades and building footprints as material and territorial continuity rather than heritage for its own sake. It stresses the need for collaboration among local actors, public policies, and resources to achieve a sustainable urban project that accompanies, rather than freezes, existing heritage.