The Alban Tixier Prize, awarded by the Arts et Métiers Foundation, recognizes expertise projects carried out in partnership with companies. We look back with Alexis Savy, 2018 winner, on his project: "Restoration of wooden structures in historic monuments," carried out with the companyMDB (Métiers du Bois).
In 2010, the Arts et Métiers Foundation Arts et Métiers the "Alban Tixier" prize, at the suggestion of Danielle Tixier, his mother. This prize is named after Alban, a former student at Cluny (class of 197) who always showed his attachment to the school, particularly in the field of wood science. Having passed away too soon, his family wanted to perpetuate this attachment by helping deserving students through the award of an annual prize of €3,000 to reward excellence in a Project of Expertise (PJE) related to this theme.
For 2018, Alexis Savy won the Alban Tixier Prize with his Expertise Project: "Restoration of wooden structures in Historic Monuments," carried out as part of the expertise project "Wood: a local resource for sustainable construction."
Why did you choose this area of expertise?
Alexis Savy: I was looking to balance my interests, studies, and career plans. I'm passionate about scouting, which gave me a strong love of nature and the outdoors, and as I continued my studies at Arts et Métiers, I was keen to reconcile current environmental issues with the construction sector. Wood expertise was therefore an obvious choice.
After the first few weeks of classes, I quickly wanted to deepen my theoretical and practical knowledge of this wonderful material by reading and working for a cabinetmaker in the evenings after school.
What were the objectives of your Expertise Project?
A. S.: My grandfather taught me about maintaining old buildings at a very early age, and I was fascinated by traditional crafts, so I knew that restoration would appeal to me, both for the beauty of the work and for the ingenuity of traditional techniques.
So I looked for companies in this field, with the criteria that they should be small, with offices and workshops located in the same place, and working on local projects. The company MDB agreed to take me on as an end-of-studies intern at their Villejuif branch, which operates in the Paris region.
I therefore worked as a site supervisor for six months, overseeing the contractual and financial aspects of a project to restore the exterior woodwork at the Orangery in Châteauneuf (Palace of Versailles).
Did you continue with MDB?
A. S.: To broaden my experience, I wanted to go to Norway to learn about the traditional solid wood construction methods specific to Scandinavian countries. I worked there as a carpenter for a year, using almost exclusively traditional tools.
My desire to reconnect with French culture led me to get back in touch with MDB, where I currently work on a permanent contract. I still manage construction projects, mainly on religious heritage sites, which is very important to me.
