Zuber: The Art of Wallpaper

The Zuber factory near Mulhouse, housed in the same building since 1797, plays a double role. One is historical, as it is the oldest wallpaper factory still active (its carved wood printing blocks are classified as historic monuments); the other is economic, as it is a flourishing company achieving 80% of its turnover through exports. This duality is embodied in the layout of its main buildings: on one side the Wallpaper Museum, whose lofts hold the 130,000 decorative pattern designs created since the company was founded, which still provide raw material for the company's production and inspiration; on the other, the workshops where craftspeople work with the carved wood blocks every day. Two worlds that seem diametrically opposed, since conservation with…