Domaine Sergermès Oil Mill

Route & confluence: The establishment of the Segermès oil mill emanates from a territorial position. The chosen location maintains a privileged dialogue with a water reservoir as well as a basilica from the Byzantine period. The project is part of the logic of a confluence, an emergence built by the directional multiplicity of the natural and “civilizational” components of this unique place. The olive groves as far as the eye can see intersect and change direction offering the architectural project the opportunity to articulate, then to anchor in the furrows of the earth . A historical past: The foundations of the new building are nourished by the historical roots of the place whose Byzantine remains remain. The ground floor opens onto the landscape and overlooks the old basilica through the presence of a Forum which becomes a semi-public space for meetings and contemplation.

The project is set up on the highest point of the domain, where an irrigation basin was built in the 1980s. Obeying a functional constraint, this basin was nevertheless in complete rupture with the site which overhangs the old Byzantine basilica of Segermès. Our oil mill & cannery project is also an attempt to rehabilitate this fringe of territory by infusing new productive energy. Respecting the waxworks of organic farming, the olive growing complex now allows the production of very highquality organic olive oil following a process fully integrated into the site. Olive cultivation plays an essential role in the social and economic life of Tunisia and represents around 15% of the total value of final agricultural production. The olive sector represents more than 20% of employability in the sector of agriculture. Today, agricultural products from the Segermès estate stand out for their high quality both on the Tunisian market and internationally. Rewarded with numerous distinctions on a worldwide scale. The oil mill & cannery employ around 100 people during the production season and around 15 fulltime. The agricultural workers are mainly from the region.

The project implements simple and widespread construction processes in Tunisia for mainly economic reasons and speed of execution. - The supporting structure of the building was designed in reinforced concrete. - The boards are in prefabricated hollow core slabs. This allowed a considerable saving of time and a better preservation of the site. - The exterior walls are built in hollow brick (double partitions) with thermal insulation in natural rock wool. - The facing is made of natural stone from the site. - The plasters are made of black cement. - The exterior joinery is made of aluminum profile with double glazing. - The interior joinery is in natural wood. - The traditional Tunisian arched vaults were made by master masons from the region of Dar Chaabane (Cap Bon). They are assembled on site with solid handcrafted terracotta bricks. - The exterior cladding consists of reconstituted natural stone slabs (Esplanade and forum). - At the level of the summer terrace, a natural cooling system has been set up thanks to a roof perforated by solar shading slats allowing the hot air to escape upwards.