Courthouse

Location of the Courthouse on the Ile de Nantes

The location of the Courthouse on the Ile de Nantes, just steps from the historic city centre, was a key element in the initiation of the urban renewal project. Along with the Courthouse project, the Quai François Mitterrand and the banks of the Loire, which had been used as a parking lot, were repurposed.

The Victor Schoelcher pedestrian bridge (Barto et Barto architects), which opened in 2001, connects the Ile de Nantes to the historic city centre.

The contemporary architecture of the Courthouse, with its imposing volumes, implacable geometry and play of light and shadow, reflects the power and force of the justice system.

The façade opposite the Loire, on the Rue la Tour d'Auvergne, opens onto a garden of ash trees, in contrast with the building's 1500 tonnes of steel. The strong presence of metal is a reference to the Ile de Nantes' rich industrial past.