Cité des Imaginaires, a New Future for Cap 44

We’re delighted to announce that our team has won the project to transform CAP 44, now known as the Cité des Imaginaires. After being selected from over 160 international submissions, our “journey through the imagination” project was unveiled on May 16, 2024. The project is part of the “Grand Débat sur la Loire” (Loire Great Debate), whose aim is to preserve the Loire’s heritage.

The Cité des Imaginaires will be an international and experiential cultural venue, inviting visitors to discover the life and work of Jules Verne and explore contemporary imaginary worlds. This three-volume project—earth, sky and gardens—will include:

• A new Jules Verne Museum
• A temporary exhibition space
• A media library
• Workshops and artist residencies
• A belvedere
• Two bars and an events space

The original structure will be renovated to reveal the Hennebique process (an experimental method of reinforced concrete construction), and will house a winter garden, a “bioclimatic machine from the world of Jules Verne.” Conceived as an extension of the Loire and the “Jardin Extraordinaire”, this semi-passive space will respond to outdoor conditions to offer optimal comfort inside.

This project represents a bridge between the past and the future, between the city and the estuary, respecting the transparency promised to the people of Nantes while tackling ecological issues. Our studio’s key principles permeate the project:

• Passive spaces and access to natural light;
• Carbon sobriety, with the use of recycled and reused materials, bio-based insulation, concrete made from recycled aggregates, etc.;
• Energy efficiency, achieved with a passive thermal envelope;
• Thermal comfort studies to optimize comfort in the covered garden;
• Water management, with rainwater recovery;
• Biodiversity integrated into the covered garden and on the roof.

Many thanks to Johanna Rolland, Mayor of Nantes, and Roussel Fabrice, first Deputy-President of Nantes Métropole, for their confidence.