Eiffage Immobilier and Eiffage Construction breathe new life into a landmark of Nantes' working class past

The Batignolles factory, a landmark of Nantes' working-class past and of industrial architecture, once covered an area of 200,000 m2 to the north-east of Nantes (Loire-Atlantique). Designed between 1917 and 1919 by the engineer Eugène Freyssinet, who used his prestressed concrete technique, this vast industrial complex is still in operation, even though a large part of it is now disused.
 
At one end of the Batignolles factory site, the La Forge des Batignolles development combines 2 halls from the early 20th century with 2 contemporary office buildings. Both halls feature a very fine concrete framework, and were completely refurbished by our Eiffage Construction teams.
 
Our teams began by decontaminating the soil and removing asbestos from the waterproofing of the roof, before carrying out structural repairs (reinforcing the concrete tie rods with metal tie rods), passivation (treating rusted steel) and concrete repairs (treating calcite on the underside of the concrete vault). The two sets of glass roofs were also replaced, and the waterproofing was completely renewed.
 
Interior refurbishment work was also carried out, including high-pressure cleaning of the walls and ceilings to enable paint to be applied. Finally, our teams installed a metal mezzanine floor and laid industrial paving.

The two naves, with a total surface area of over 2,200 m2, connect (via the ground floor + 1 storey) with two new office buildings (ground floor + 5 and ground floor + 7 storeys), newly constructed, with a total surface area of almost 5,200 m² (excluding parking and loggias). Breeam Very Good certified, the offices feature private terraces and loggias on each level.
 
At the initiative of Nantes Métropole and Sébastien Ecault, founder of E-cobot, a company specialising in co-botics and robotics, the site will host R&D activities in new technologies.  The first occupants are due to move in at the end of the year.
 
For this 7,900 m2 complex, the Forma6 agency, assisted by our teams in the construction, has perfectly reinterpreted the site's spectacular volumetry in a contemporary way. The project was acquired by Foncière Magellan.It's a place where start-ups and major accounts rub shoulders, creating a technology hub aimed at excellence in innovation and the creation of new technologies.
 
Congratulations to our real estate and construction teams for this feat of rehabilitation!
 
Architect: Forma6