OPmobility factory
An industrial timber architecture serving the hydrogen transition
OPmobility factory
OPmobility Group (Plastic Omnium New Energies France)
Construction of a manufacturing plant for hydrogen storage tanks and a tertiary office complex
Lachelle, Oise, France
2026
15,500 m²
Lead architects : Bechu & Associés
Architect / associated engineering : Archetype Industry
LEED v4 Gold certification (targeted)
positive energy building
photovoltaic canopy, green roofs, on-site stormwater management
A new hydrogen site in the oise
In Lachelle, in the Oise region, OPmobility is establishing a new industrial site dedicated to manufacturing hydrogen storage tanks for the mobility of tomorrow.
More than a simple production tool, this project asserts a clear ambition: to demonstrate that cutting‑edge industry can be part of a demanding environmental approach, while offering a legible, durable architecture, deeply rooted in its territory. From the very first sketches, the architecture was conceived as an extension of OPmobility’s industrial vision. The site interweaves a production building, a tertiary office ensemble and landscaped areas within a coherent composition, where each element contributes to the overall performance of the project. The organisation of the volumes, the hierarchy of the spaces and the clarity of circulation express a pursuit of rationality, while giving a central place to quality of use and user comfort.
Timber occupies a structuring role in this architectural composition. Used as a load‑bearing material, on façades and in fit‑out elements, it becomes a true guiding thread running through the project. This choice forms part of a deliberate environmental strategy: reducing the carbon footprint, using bio‑based materials, and favouring prefabrication and off‑site construction to enable rapid delivery and controlled nuisance. Timber enters into dialogue with metal, glass and concrete to create a contemporary industrial architecture, both restrained and expressive, capable of reconciling technical constraints with architectural quality.
The circular showcase of the opmobility site
The tertiary building, conceived as the showcase of the site, is distinguished by a circular geometry organised around a landscaped courtyard.
This embracing form creates a sheltered planted heart, a true breathing space at the core of the project. The entrance hall, generously glazed and developed over a double height, establishes visual continuity between the external forecourt, the inner garden and the workspaces. The offices thus benefit from abundant natural light, views over the landscape and outdoor terraces, reaffirming the intention to place people at the centre of industrial architecture.
The entire site forms part of an ambitious environmental approach, targeting LEED v4 Gold certification. The production of renewable energy, notably through a large photovoltaic canopy and rooftop solar installations, makes it possible to move towards a positive‑energy building. Rainwater is managed on site, with collection and reuse for sanitary and landscape uses. Green roofs, permeable ground treatments and the reduction of heat islands all contribute to a holistic approach to environmental frugality and resilience.
A site in harmony with its environment
Set on a former agricultural plot, the project pays particular attention to its integration into the landscape.
Country hedgerows, native species planting, swales and gardens structure the site edges and create a gentle transition between the industrial facility and the open landscape of the Picardy plateau. The architecture does not seek to impose itself, but to engage in dialogue with its surroundings, fully embracing its industrial role while reducing its visual and ecological impact.
In the long term, the site will accommodate around two hundred employees within a safe, high‑performance and adaptable working environment. In Lachelle, OPmobility thus asserts a renewed vision of industry: an industry capable of supporting the energy transition, enhancing sustainable materials and delivering a rigorous architecture that serves technological innovation, the region and the people who work there.
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