Acquisition of land 1966 (≈ 1966)
Land of 8 800 m2 road Lyon assigned.
1969
Building inauguration
Building inauguration 1969 (≈ 1969)
Operational headquarters after 3 years of work.
2020
Label *Remarkable contemporary architecture*
Label *Remarkable contemporary architecture* 2020 (≈ 2020)
Official heritage recognition.
14 novembre 2024
Registration for Historic Monuments
Registration for Historic Monuments 14 novembre 2024 (≈ 2024)
Total protection of the site and gardens.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The buildings, gardens, fences and soils of the parcels forming the former headquarters of Groupama, in full, according to the plan annexed to the decree, located 83 rue de Lyon, appearing in the cadastre, section DS, under parcel numbers 18, 22 and 23: inscription by order of 14 November 2024
Key figures
Max Bourgoin - Chief Architect
Designs the building after 1966.
M. Morin - Architect initial consultancy
Resigns before completion.
Origin and history
The building of the headquarters of Groupama in Avignon was designed to house the central administration of the agricultural mutual of Vaucluse from the late 1960s. In 1966, the mutual acquires a plot of land of 8,800 m2 road of Lyon, where Max Bourgoin, an architect already known for the rehabilitation of the headquarters of Crédit Agricole Mutuel, takes over the project after the departure of Mr Morin, original architect consulting. The building, structured in two bodies around a hall and a patio, was inaugurated in 1969 and is distinguished by its modern style on four levels.
The site, including buildings, gardens and fences, was listed in the Historic Monuments by order of November 14, 2024, recognizing its heritage value. He had already obtained the remarkable contemporary architecture label in 2020, stressing its importance in the Provencal architectural landscape of the twentieth century. The official address, 83 road of Lyon, confirms its anchoring in the peripheral district of Avignon, marking the urban and economic evolution of the city after the war.
The design of the project reflects the challenges of the 1960s, when farm mutuals sought to modernize their infrastructure to meet administrative growth. Max Bourgoin, a local figure of architecture, applies innovative functional and aesthetic principles for the time, combining workspaces and landscape integration. The central patio and L-based organization illustrate this search for a balance between efficiency and quality of life at work.
