Hermine Museum in Vannes: what if Nancy could be a model?

Tuesday 17th December 2024 10:50 AM

When you carried out the extension of the Nancy Museum of Fine Arts in the 1990s, was the discovery of medieval remains a surprise?

Laurent Beaudouin, project architect: no, not at all. When there was the competition in 1991, we were the only team to have guessed them. We designed our project based on the hypotheses we had posed while studying the archives. They turned out to be correct. The unexpected was that inside the bastion, Inrap uncovered an older barbican. We modified the project so that this wall became the backstage of an auditorium.

Have you been confronted with the presence of water in the development of these excavations?

Yes because we went down to -6 m, knowing that this 18th century pavilion, belonging to the architectural ensemble designed by the architect of King Stanislas, Emmanuel Héré, is built on a swamp. Old buildings often have oak piles as foundations which must be kept in water to remain rot-proof. A geotechnical study was therefore carried out on the stability of the water level and we built a so-called “pant leg” wall, which allows the water to circulate underground while making the site accessible to visitors. The water is still very close to the current floor level of the museum. It is essential for the preservation of the site not to completely dry it out.

To keep the remains visible to the public, an auditorium and an exhibition room were created in the basement of the Nancy Museum of Fine Arts. (Photo Patrick Perotto)

Are these works particularly expensive and complex?

In 1999, we all still had in mind the example of the medieval Louvre, very beautiful and very luxurious. We made do with the means of a provincial town. It’s not more expensive. If over time the water level has risen in Vannes, it is more complicated but it is doable. It is necessary to identify the old level and carry out waterproofing of the upper levels. We have worked on a lot of historic sites. If Vannes wishes, I am now a semi-retiree available and I can help!

You shouldn’t make a big deal out of it. It’s not complex, on the contrary, it’s very interesting. The Nieto Sobejano office is really very good. We must not waste opportunities like this. For the city of Nancy, this enhancement was a huge plus.