In early September, OpenBox handed over a cheque for €408,120 to its client, Papeteries Pichon. This amount represents the return of part of the savings generated during the project. The Co Design&Build method, through which their logistics platform and headquarters were built, can truly pay off!
With a few years of hindsight on OpenBox’s operations, we’ve found that this method delivers the best results when we manage the entire value chain, from architectural design through to final completion.
By offering profit-sharing on savings, we hope to convince more clients to trust us with every phase of their project. For some, this may require a shift in how they manage their real estate developments. But it’s the necessary condition to fully benefit from the advantages of Co Design&Build—financial and otherwise.
When we are entrusted only with the execution of a project, we commit to delivering results (price, timeline, deliverables) within a framework shaped by decisions made by others. Our energy is then focused on absorbing information—often incomplete and sometimes contradictory—synthesizing it, and mobilizing resources within very tight deadlines. In these situations, we are less engaged in co-construction with our clients and more involved in a controller–controlled type of relationship. As a result, we generate less value, and part of our expertise remains untapped.
Co Design&Build is based on the power of collective intelligence. In this approach, we progressively validate decisions with the client from the design phase onward, in a coordinated and coherent way, while committing to a defined scope, timeline, and price. The client retains the option to work with another contractor if they believe we’re not the most competitive after the design phase. If they choose to continue with us, they are guaranteed ongoing transparency and collaboration. They can also be confident that our energy and expertise are consistently dedicated to the continuous improvement of the project—both in terms of quality and cost. Our interests are aligned.
Beyond the financial aspect, we witness every day how the calm and constructive atmosphere—inherent in a transparent way of working—benefits the project as a whole.
To take the example of Papeteries Pichon, we were initially put in competition through a call for proposals based on a program developed internally. They then entrusted us with the geotechnical study, topographic survey, building permit application, and registration file. It was during this design phase that Papeteries Pichon brought in Etyo to act as project management consultant (AMO) through to final completion of the construction. Reassured by an expert third party in the logistics real estate sector, Papeteries Pichon ultimately awarded us the construction phase. The client co-constructed the project with us, was informed of every decision at each stage, and took part in the choices, with full awareness of the technical and regulatory constraints. According to a distribution key agreed upon at the time of contract signing and based on certified accounting, and since everything was decided transparently, both parties benefited from the savings.
With Co Design&Build, we move away from a logic of conflicting interests and into a collaborative dynamic.
21,600 m² logistics platform and headquarters, fully automated by SAVOYE.
Architect : XXL Atelier
Project Management Consultant (AMO) : ETYO
