designboom · Creativity & design

Former Railway Signal Box Reopens as Kiosk-Bar in Nantes

A 1960s railway signal box in Nantes, France, has been transformed into a kiosk-bar named L'Aiguilleuse, preserving a fragment of the city's industrial railway history.

The project by Studio Téré repurposes the 36 sqm building, originally used for controlling train movements, into a public space for meeting, resting, and light catering within the new Jardins de l’Estuaire park. The intervention is designed to be understated, with bi-fold windows and folding metal shutters opening three facades to connect the interior with the surrounding park.

Red-orange accents highlight the metalwork, joinery, and facade lettering, reinforcing the building's presence. The design integrates original elements like the clock and railway signalling lights, maintaining a connection to its past use. At night, the upper level becomes a luminous signal.

The venue's program was developed through public consultation. The name L'Aiguilleuse refers to former signal operators and contributes to the feminisation of public space names. The converted signal box now serves as a new urban landmark in a district undergoing significant transformation.

AI-samenvatting op basis van de bron.