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.
• 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.
REMODELLING OF THE SAINT NAZAIRE SUBMARINE BASE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT France, 1998-2000