Ramdam Architectes and Palast Complete 81 Wooden-Structure Housing Units in Nantes' Caserne Mellinet Transformation

In Nantes, France, the transformation of the former Caserne Mellinet army barracks includes 81 housing units completed in 2025 by architecture firms Ramdam Architectes and palast. The project, part of the Chapus hamlet within a six-hamlet neighborhood, serves as a transitional urban feature linking the Saint-Donatien area to the barracks complex core. With a construction cost of 14.5 million euros HT, the development features a wooden structure and mineral façades made of plastered hempcrete. The 5,247-square-meter project respects urban planners' intention to create coherent identity between two areas while pursuing ambitious construction methods. Project management was handled by Bénédicte Chevalier, with photography by Charles Bouchaib and Javier Callejas. Engineering contributions included structural work by Synergie Bois, acoustics by SOLAB, and hempcrete engineering by CAN-ia. Contractors Batinantes et ICEO executed the work, with fluid systems managed by Quatuor, SOLAB, OPC et MOEX. The flats are situated at the entrance of the neighborhood, addressing contemporary urban challenges through adaptive reuse of military infrastructure.