Mellinet Barracks Adaptation Addresses Contemporary Urban Challenges

The adaptive reuse of the historic Caserne Mellinet military barracks in the Saint Donatien district of eastern Nantes is a model of contemporary strategies for regenerating former military sites. Architecture firms Ramdam and Palastcollaborated on the conversion, which provides 81 new apartments, retail spaces, and a parking structure. The building’s identity emerges from a rhythm of solids and voids and the interplay of transparency and opacity. Sinuous lines, a light color palette, and bio-based materials further integrate the structure into its setting.

The adaptive reuse is further distinguished by the selection of exterior materials – timber and hempcrete – which harmonize the building with the local architecture, the pedestrian promenade, and the surrounding green space. This green space forms the heart of the project, orienting the apartments toward the outdoors and providing unobstructed views.

Varying typologies by floor

^{© Charles Bouchaib}

As the building rises, its architectural character and density shift through balanced setbacks and openings in both the upper and lower blocks. By contrast, the ground floor remains largely continuous and compact, though punctuated by expansive ribbon windows. Extensive glazing across the upper stories signals the building’s residential program.

The apartments are enhanced by winter gardens, large corner balconies, and abundant natural light from multiple exposures. Their interiors feature elegant detailing and a muted color palette to create a comfortable domestic environment.

Material focus

^{© Javier Callejas}

The material palette follows a consistent logic across the interior and exterior. Beyond the glazing, rounded hempcrete piers establish the building’s overall rhythm. Hempcrete – a composite of hemp, lime, and water – is typically cast in place. For this project, however, the architects specified prefabricated hemp panels assembled in a carpentry workshop.

The conversion of the former Mellinet barracks sets a precedent for the adaptive reuse of decommissioned military facilities, offering a scalable model for similar sites nationally and internationally.

^{© Charles Bouchaib}

^{© Charles Bouchaib© Javier Callejas}

^{© Javier Callejas}