Luxury takes the place of justice in Nantes
Nantes's former Palais de Justice has been converted into a four-star hotel. Open since 19 November, the Radisson Blu Hôtel has 142 rooms, including five suites, in 40 different layouts, and is the work of the practice DTACC and interior architect Jean-Philippe Nuel.
The building, erected in 1851 by the architects Séheult and Chenantais, ceased to serve as the law courts when the current Palais de Justice, designed by Jean Nouvel, was delivered in 2000. It stood empty until spring 2004, when the Ministry handed the keys to the conseil général. In April 2005, the president of the Conseil Général, Patrick Mareschal, launched a call for tenders pitting three teams against one another to write a new chapter in the history of the palace. The three scenarios put forward were: luxury hospitality with a cultural component; culture and social purposes, centred on the exchange of knowledge; and culture combined with the economic and tourism promotion of the heritage. The study concluded in favour of the first proposal. In May 2007, the Conseil Général gave its approval to the team made up of AXA Real Estate, Altarea Cogedim, the Rezidor Hotel Group (Radisson Blu brand), DTACC (Carvunis Cholet) and Agence Nuel.
Located on place Aristide Briand in the heart of Nantes, the 10,000 m² building stands alongside the former gendarmerie and a prison that was vacated last June and is now awaiting a buyer. The former gendarmerie is itself being converted for mixed use, with high-end housing, offices, luxury shops, a balneotherapy centre and social housing.
The building is not listed, yet its history has not been overlooked. The architects chose to embrace the history of the place, which means the words "Palais de Justice" have been kept on the façade and the statue of Justice remains in its vault. They also sought to make the building more welcoming by toning down the grandeur of the entrance through a remodelling of the staircase.
Inside, the salle des pas perdus has become a 400 m² lobby, which gives access to the 300 m² conference room. The assize courtroom has been turned into a restaurant with 88 covers, open to hotel guests and locals alike. The wood panelling that adorned it has been repainted in glossy white, and the president's dais is now a wine cellar. Interior architect Jean-Philippe Nuel describes the gesture as "a trick, a wink that takes away the solemnity of the place".
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