This article focuses on the impact of control in innovation processes. Control is often regarded as a strain on innovation and creativity. Based on a deep analysis of a longitudinal case study in the architectural field, we argue the contrary, revealing how control can enhance creativity and help architects to propose innovative projects in their field but also for private customers. In order to do so, we do not consider Control in its generic sense but investigate two concepts, control "Checking" and control "Master" (Hofstede, 1978). We thus attempt to show how controls interfere with and transform the innovation, as a result of the creative process proposed by the contest. The longitudinal case study we investigate relates the creation of an building that contains social loggings, located in the city of Grenoble, in the French Alps region. Thanks to the theoretical framework applied to this present case study, we propose a series of propositions on the impact of control - and its nature - on the innovation process and develop the concept of "core control".