REMODELLING OF THE SAINT NAZAIRE SUBMARINE

BASE

CONSTRUCTION PROJECT AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO THE

CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT

France, 1998-2000

• General floorplan of development.

• Details of the interior of the Base.

• Aerial view of the Saint Nazaire Base in the

foreground, on the right hand side.

• General view of the facade where an access

ramp can be seen on the left hand side.

The conversion of the interior of the

Saint Nazaire Submarine Base, built

by the Germans during World War II,

into a space for recreation,

shopping and leisure was designed

in close collaboration with the

architect Manuel de Solà-Morales.

This impressive building has a

ground floorplan of 300x130 m2 and

a floor to ceileing height of 18 m.

Over 480,000 m3 of concrete were

used to build it.

The intervention includes the

connection between the different

cells and the creation of docks,

platforms and drawbridges in the

new pedestrian corridors that were

created. The docks and platforms at

the side of the harbour were

designed using a galvanized metal

structure and wood paving and

anchored to the existing walls by

means of corrugated bars and/or

prestressing cables.

New walkways, stairs and platforms

were also included between the roof

and the street level, with a metal

structure and wood or metal plate

paving that are anchored to or

suspended from, the concrete roof

and walls of the Base.

The inflow of water from the harbour

into the cells (a distance of

approximately 85 m) was prevented

by means of reinforced concrete

dykes and partial dredging.

To increase permeability within the

Base, openings of different sizes

were made in the walls, up to 1.2 m

thick, separating the cells; in some

cases this required the

reinforcement of the resulting lintels

with prestressed concrete.