Key Facts
Growth Target: +33% over 5 years
6,650 m² of retail space
12-metre ceiling height
28 open-air checkout stations
E.Leclerc
Naturally Redefining the Shopping Experience
...at E.Leclerc Prices
The E.Leclerc store in La Roche-sur-Yon reopened in 2021 after three years of full renovation, led by Saguez & Partners (interior design) and Brunerie & Irissou (architecture). A new hypermarket that is, in both construction and design, scalable, modular, and eco-responsible. A rehabilitation project built to last.
Photography: SeignetteLafontan
Breathe, you're shopping!
Rethinking the Hypermarket Experience
To bring clarity to the customer journey, Saguez & Partners began by rethinking the floorplan from scratch. Inside, a series of self-supporting micro-architectures, crafted in wood and measuring 15 x 6 meters, are suspended from the ceiling to shape the space and showcase each craft and department. Nothing is anchored to the building’s structure, ensuring total reversibility. The space is designed to evolve: change without demolition. A restrained shell and continuous flooring between the shopping mall and hypermarket reinforce this flexibility.
Spanning 6,650 m² with soaring 12-meter ceilings, 28 open-daylight checkout stations, and a 1,000 m² cultural space, this hypermarket brings a new vision of retail to life, one where comfort and well-being for both customers and staff are at the heart of every architectural choice.
A project where retail meets sustainability, this innovative approach earned the 2023 MAPIC Award for Best Store Design.
Natural Light All the Way to the Checkouts
Forget the harsh neon lights of traditional big-box stores. Based on a lighting study by Intégrale (lighting designer for the Epsilon Group), a high-performance, low-consumption LED system was installed 12 meters above ground to enhance the architecture’s clean, unified lines. But the real game-changer? Abundant natural light. The architects prioritized large, full-height openings that visually connect the interior to the outside world. Nature is ever-present. Gone are the days of shopping in shadowy, soulless spaces.
Store renovation with a biophilic approach, offering views of nature.
White, Out!
Here, there’s no harsh white light or sterile surfaces. Instead, warm tones and natural hues create an inviting atmosphere where comfort and well-being take center stage. Most importantly, the agency opted for honest, sustainable materials: wood as the primary texture, mineral acrylic paints, and Cradle-to-Cradle certified floor tiles from Mosa Tiles.
"Today, we no longer need to create ephemeral spaces, we need modular, reusable environments that can adapt without being torn down. That’s exactly what we did here: a store that can evolve effortlessly over time.” Boris Gentine, Partners + Managing and Creative Director, Saguez & Partners.
Let the light and natural materials in!
