L'Aiguilleuse

L’Aiguilleuse – Transforming a piece of railroad heritage into a living space. The former SNCF signal box is now L’Aiguilleuse, a kiosk and refreshment stand in the heart of the Jardins de l’Estuaire on the Île de Nantes.Born out of a collaborative process with residents and future users, the project chose to preserve this small piece of railroad heritage, transform it, and give it a new purpose rather than demolish it. Where the building once guided trains, it has now become a neighborhood landmark—a place for gathering, socializing, and light dining, open to the public. Our design focused on revealing the site’s identity and its railway heritage while adapting it to its new uses. Large accordion-style windows open the ground floor widely onto the public space; folding shutters transform the signal box into a veritable kiosk, while the original clock and the old signal lights have been preserved. The reddish-orange hue of the metalwork, woodwork, and lettering gives the kiosk a strong and warm identity. Now fully embraced by its users, L’Aiguilleuse demonstrates the potential for revitalizing our local heritage when it is designed with and for its residents.