Beyond the line: mobility draws a new urban geography for Nantes

In Nantes, a pioneering city for tramways in France, the new lines on the Île extend a legacy in which mobility and urban transformation go hand in hand. Lines 6, 7 and 8 are redefining metropolitan connections between Rezé, the heart of Nantes and the northern and western territories, while supporting the profund transformations of the districts they pass through. Beyond infrastructure, the project involves an reinvention of public space at every scale. From local streets to major metropolitan thoroughfare, the transformation of the street network restores clarity, fluidity and continuity to movement. The line junctions, conceived as flexible and legible sequences, are inserted within existing gaps in the urban fabric in order to transform residual spaces into genuine urban hinges. Stations and transport hub thus become more than technical facilities : they emerge as new urban spaces capable of accommodating everyday uses, intensifying connections between neighbourhoods, and fostering a shared urban landscape, where transport, architecture and public space come together to create a unified experience of the city.

Geo-history

Nantes has made travel — both historical and dreamlike — one of the essential components of its identity. From the sensitive act of remembrance along the Quai de la Fosse, to Buren’s Rings and the Machines of the Isle of Nantes, through the green line of the Voyage à Nantes, the city reveals itself with openness and invites visitors to explore it. As we move through the city, each step brings an awareness of the depth of its history and the profound connections it has forged with artistic creation.

This deep understanding of place — where the geo-history of a site, its urban and landscape forms, is read in all its depth and complexity; where architecture and landscape are understood as two facets of the same physical and poetic reality — lies at the heart of landForma’s design practice: ArchitecturePaysage.

It is around this imaginary that landForma, in close collaboration with artist and designer Sovann Kim, developed the design of the new stations, echoing the geometry of the historic shelters designed by architect and urban planner Jacques Dulieu.

Morphogenesis

— Composition and structure

Above all, it was the fundamental experience of travel that guided the project, leading the landForma designers towards an extraordinary and highly evocative marine animal: the whale. The structural framework of the stations recalls that of the marine mammal — an invitation to travel, an obvious nod to the Machines of the Isle of Nantes, but also to the city’s port activity. Its characteristic ribs become an organic expression at every scale, from the infinitely large — the whale, the branches of a tree — to the infinitely small — the human, the traveller. The voids and solids of the framework bring lightness to the whole and open up like windows onto the city. Protective and welcoming, the structure shelters passengers while integrating sensitively into the urban landscape of Nantes.

Designed to endure through the long term and across the seasons, the architecture of the stations adapts to all climates. Thanks to the modularity of the structure, light is absorbed and reflected at ground level, creating a shading system defined by transparency and a luminous interiority, while protecting travellers.

In counterpoint to these rays of light, the vertical grid of the ribs follows a regular rhythm, with a one-metre spacing, allowing the glass panels at the back of the shelters to be easily handled and adapted to the attachment points of the furniture. A second horizontal grid is added to the verticality of the framework: the line of the seating and guardrail. It consists of three structuring lines: an upper line for the guardrail handrail, a middle line for the leaning rails, and a lower line for the benches. The furniture attaches invisibly to the guardrail uprights, continuing and extending the structural framework.

Elementary components

— Interior–Exterior Dialogue

A play of contrasts emerges between the shelter’s structural framework and its skin. A clearly defined and structured interior is given a double skin: transparent glass and a sunshade that protect from intense heat while allowing light to filter through. The generous lateral returns eventually wrap around the passengers. A smoother exterior, where the glass skin slides over the structure, like the sea gliding along the hull of a ship.

The research into form and material unfolds across three aspects.

Design: the bollards are distinguished by a rounded, softened form at their upper section. A sculpted raised groove creates a play of shadow and texture during the day, while also allowing for the integration of green lighting that subtly extends their presence at night, marking the entrances to the stations.
The travel experience: the project develops a domestic architecture, designed to welcome travellers comfortably while creating a warm and inviting environment. The generous seats, seamlessly integrated into the structure, renew the passenger experience as they settle on the platforms: the seat extends into a shelf where travellers can place their bag while waiting for the tram, lean against it, gather around it to talk, rest their elbow on it or charge their phone.

Materiality: the chosen materials contribute to creating a welcoming atmosphere with a strong identity. The aluminium structure is given a light metallic grey finish, with a subtly shimmering surface that changes with the light, while the sunshade takes on a warm colour close to the tones of “Terre de Sienne” and “Terre d’Ombre”, reinforcing the protective character of the shelters. These shades, alternating between light and brown, evoke the imagery of distant journeys while contributing to the domestic character of the whole

This matrix responds to what Jacques Dulieu initiated: acting as a landmark in the city; offering the scale of intimate protection.