Photos: Philippe Ruault Photographe

On a constricted, city centre site a new Institute of Marine Genomics has opened in Nantes, France. The 1,486 square metre building has been designed by locally-trained architects Barré-Lambot.

The building has been designed around an interior garden and uses a simple construction method and rational organisation. All laboratories and offices are turned towards the garden and all circulation routes are naturally lit with views to the outside.

The building is made from a simple palette of zinc, concrete, granite, glass and aluminium.

Site plan