Halles Alstom
Building ships in the middle of Nantes, seriously?
Discover the Building
Originally constructed in the mid-19th century as the Voruz Foundries, Halles Alstom comprises vast industrial halls that shaped Nantes' working-class history. The Alstom industrial complex later dominated the landscape with shipbuilding and mechanical production, employing hundreds and anchoring the city's economic prosperity. The distinctive steel skeleton and soaring architectural presence became iconic symbols of industrial Nantes. When Alstom departed in the early 2000s, the site fell dormant, yet its robust structure preserved the physical memory of generations of skilled workers and innovation.
Stories Behind the Walls
Within these steel halls, generations of workers shaped Nantes' maritime and industrial legacy. Foundry workers melted metals whilst shipyard workers constructed vessels destined for global waters. The rhythmic hammering of machinery defined the daily rhythm of neighbourhoods and families whose livelihoods depended on this site. Though the factories have closed, the Halles remain living monuments to this human presence. Today's students walk where furnaces once burned, embodying a continuity of purpose: the transformation from industrial production to creative education and innovation.
Play
La ville bouge sur l'Île de Nantes - Anciennes halles Alstom © Télénantes
From Yesterday to Today
Over two decades, Nantes Métropole and SAMOA orchestrated an ambitious urban transformation. Franklin Azzi Architecture led restoration of Halles 4 & 5 in 2017, retaining the iconic steel skeleton whilst adapting spaces for contemporary use. Patrice Gardera reimagined Halles 1 & 2 (inaugurated 2023) as open modular environments where glass and metal create dynamic dialogues between heritage and present. Today, Halles 4 & 5 house the Nantes Saint-Nazaire Higher School of Fine Arts serving 500 students, whilst Halles 1 & 2 provide creative industry, prototyping labs, digital culture, and public spaces welcoming all.
Why This Building Matters
Halles Alstom exemplifies Nantes' journey from industry to creativity. The site now supports 9,000 companies and 38,000 jobs within the "Quartier de la Création", demonstrating how heritage can anchor sustainable economic and cultural regeneration. Without preservation, Nantes would lose tangible connection to its working-class roots and maritime identity. The Halles prove that industrial memory need not be erased but rather reimagined as a foundation for contemporary innovation and community belonging.
Get involved!
- Join guided tours during Nantes Digital Week or European Heritage Days
- Collect family stories from workers who laboured in these halls
- Photograph the building's architectural details and transformations
- Create artwork inspired by the dialogue between industrial past and creative present
- Explore the public agora and exhibition spaces in Halles 1 & 2
Explore more
- Lost in time: What knowledge and craftsmanship of shipbuilding and foundry work might be preserved in family archives or local museums?
- Landscape shift: How did the 19th-century industrial landscape differ from today's creative quarter, and what shaped that transformation?
- Your vision: What industrial heritage in your community could be reimagined as a creative space for future generations?
Credits & Sources
Text drafted by LUDICIUS, Historical Sources
Images / Media
- “Halles Alstom, Fine Arts School, Franklin Azzi” ©Luc Boegly
- Les Halles, d’hier à aujourd’hui : une plongée au cœur de l’histoire, https://www.iledenantes.com/les-halles-dhier-a-aujourdhui-une-plongee-au-coeur-de-lhistoire/
- “Halles Alstom, Reconversion en Pôle Interdisciplinaire dédié aux Cultures Numériques, au cœur du Quartier de la Création, 1 / 9 / 10” © AAPP/Atelier d'Architecture Philippe Prost, https://www.prost-architectes.com/nantes/ Photographe(s): Perspectives RSI STUDIO
- Les Halles UN SITE CHARGÉ D’HISTOIRE DÉDIÉ À L’INNOVATION ET À LA CRÉATIVITÉ, https://www.iledenantes.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/LesHalles_Livret2021_148x21cm_20pages_WEB.pdf
- “La ville bouge sur l'Île de Nantes - Anciennes halles Alstom” ©Télénantes
- Patrimoine industriel, https://patrimonia.nantes.fr/home/decouvrir/themes-et-quartiers/patrimoine-industriel.html
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La ville bouge sur l'Île de Nantes - Anciennes halles Alstom @ Télénantes
La ville bouge sur l'Île de Nantes - Anciennes halles Alstom © Télénantes
“Halles Alstom, Fine Arts School, Franklin Azzi” ©Luc Boegly
“Halles Alstom, Reconversion en Pôle Interdisciplinaire dédié aux Cultures Numériques, au cœur du Quartier de la Création, 1 / 9 / 10” © AAPP/Atelier d'Architecture Philippe Prost, https://www.prost-architectes.com/nantes/ Photographe(s): Perspectives RSI STUDIO
AAPP/Atelier d'Architecture Philippe Prost
https://www.prost-architectes.com/nantes/
Photographe(s): Perspectives RSI STUDIO
AAPP/Atelier d'Architecture Philippe Prost
https://www.prost-architectes.com/nantes/
Photographe(s): Perspectives RSI STUDIO
La ville bouge sur l'Île de Nantes - Anciennes halles Alstom ©Télénantes
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Transcript
Halles Alstom
Building ships in the middle of Nantes, seriously?
Discover the Building
Originally constructed in the mid-19th century as the Voruz Foundries, Halles Alstom comprises vast industrial halls that shaped Nantes' working-class history. The Alstom industrial complex later dominated the landscape with shipbuilding and mechanical production, employing hundreds and anchoring the city's economic prosperity. The distinctive steel skeleton and soaring architectural presence became iconic symbols of industrial Nantes. When Alstom departed in the early 2000s, the site fell dormant, yet its robust structure preserved the physical memory of generations of skilled workers and innovation.
Stories Behind the Walls
Within these steel halls, generations of workers shaped Nantes' maritime and industrial legacy. Foundry workers melted metals whilst shipyard workers constructed vessels destined for global waters. The rhythmic hammering of machinery defined the daily rhythm of neighbourhoods and families whose livelihoods depended on this site. Though the factories have closed, the Halles remain living monuments to this human presence. Today's students walk where furnaces once burned, embodying a continuity of purpose: the transformation from industrial production to creative education and innovation.
Play
La ville bouge sur l'Île de Nantes - Anciennes halles Alstom © Télénantes
From Yesterday to Today
Over two decades, Nantes Métropole and SAMOA orchestrated an ambitious urban transformation. Franklin Azzi Architecture led restoration of Halles 4 & 5 in 2017, retaining the iconic steel skeleton whilst adapting spaces for contemporary use. Patrice Gardera reimagined Halles 1 & 2 (inaugurated 2023) as open modular environments where glass and metal create dynamic dialogues between heritage and present. Today, Halles 4 & 5 house the Nantes Saint-Nazaire Higher School of Fine Arts serving 500 students, whilst Halles 1 & 2 provide creative industry, prototyping labs, digital culture, and public spaces welcoming all.
Why This Building Matters
Halles Alstom exemplifies Nantes' journey from industry to creativity. The site now supports 9,000 companies and 38,000 jobs within the "Quartier de la Création", demonstrating how heritage can anchor sustainable economic and cultural regeneration. Without preservation, Nantes would lose tangible connection to its working-class roots and maritime identity. The Halles prove that industrial memory need not be erased but rather reimagined as a foundation for contemporary innovation and community belonging.
Get involved!
Explore more
Credits & Sources
Text drafted by LUDICIUS, Historical Sources
Images / Media
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat, duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat, duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat, duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat, duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit.
La ville bouge sur l'Île de Nantes - Anciennes halles Alstom @ Télénantes
La ville bouge sur l'Île de Nantes - Anciennes halles Alstom © Télénantes
“Halles Alstom, Fine Arts School, Franklin Azzi” ©Luc Boegly
“Halles Alstom, Reconversion en Pôle Interdisciplinaire dédié aux Cultures Numériques, au cœur du Quartier de la Création, 1 / 9 / 10” © AAPP/Atelier d'Architecture Philippe Prost, https://www.prost-architectes.com/nantes/ Photographe(s): Perspectives RSI STUDIO
AAPP/Atelier d'Architecture Philippe Prost https://www.prost-architectes.com/nantes/ Photographe(s): Perspectives RSI STUDIO
AAPP/Atelier d'Architecture Philippe Prost https://www.prost-architectes.com/nantes/ Photographe(s): Perspectives RSI STUDIO
La ville bouge sur l'Île de Nantes - Anciennes halles Alstom ©Télénantes