Giant Zig Zag Glass Canopy Envelops New College of Arts In Nantes, France

A new creative urban space is set to be built in the heart of Nantes, France and will include the construction of a new college dedicated to the fine arts. <a href="http://www.franklinazzi.com/dotclear/index.php?esbanm" target="_blank">Franklin Azzi Architecture</a> has been tasked to design the glorious new project, called Alstom Halles, which is composed of a giant glass and steel structure that covers the college underneath like a giant umbrella or <a href="http://inhabitat.com/the-greenhouse-project-is-a-roof-garden-atop-a-nyc-school/" target="_blank">greenhouse</a>. Sliding glass walls on the ground floor can be opened up to the plaza to create an interactive and daylit space for students and visitors alike.

The plan calls for the rehabilitation of the site and creation of the new college, Ecole Superieure des Beaux Arts de Nantes Métropole or ESBANM for short.

Departments for the college will be housed underneath a giant glass and steel structure with interior streets and alleyways.

Daylight will stream into the space from the sawtooth roof line and create a microclimate for the students, professors and visitors.

Large glass sliding doors can be opened on the ground floor to open the space up to the place or encourage natural ventilation into the space.

Depending on the season, the glass doors may be fully opened or fully closed.

In the winter, the doors would be fully closed to retain heat.

The rehabilitation of the site is expected to invigorate the heart of the downtown and provide a flexible space for a variety of programs and activities.

Inside three stories tall of buildings and departments will be connected via walkways and streets all enclosed within the glass structure.

Alstom Halles will be located in the heart of Nantes.

Passersby will be able to look in on the activity inside the school.

A rendering of the hall.

A model of the hall showing the saw tooth roofline.

The hall is composed of three separate buildings.