Lot 8, LUMA Arles - Renovation of Le Magasin Électrique

The 19th Century train depot was converted into a research facility using materials from the Camargue such as sunflower, rice husk, algae and salt. The building is organised as a street, square, and a working yard, housing laboratories, workshops and a flexible event space. The construction retained and upgraded the stone walls and steel structure; and employed regional and bio-sourced materials including indigo-treated timber, earthen walls, and salt-cast fittings, developed with local subcontractors to integrate research, production, and educational engagement within the regional context.

The project addressed the challenges of converting a derelict 19th-century train depot into a design and research laboratory, maintaining regional material sourcing amid COVID-19 disruptions, and integrating local industries, bi-products, and craft practices while meeting performance standards for insulation, acoustics, and durability. Strategies included applying Atelier LUMA’s research on local industries and waste streams, engaging regional stakeholders, and conducting on-site residencies to test materials and methods including sunflower insulation, rice-husk acoustic panels, quarry dust, and salt finishes, evaluated for technical performance. The structural design was adapted to work with available sizes of timber, bio-based materials, stone dust, agricultural bi-products and waste cores were repurposed to align with local production systems, grounded in a long-term presence in the community and shaped by direct engagement with stakeholders.

The project builds on Atelier LUMA’s research into agricultural materials of the Camargue, sunflower stems and marrow, rice husks, algae and salt; sourced within a 70 km radius as part of a bioregional approach. Rice-straw bales insulate existing stone walls; sunflower stem and marrow provide acoustic insulation, sprayed with local clay or pressed into panels. Stone dust and waste cores from nearby quarries were reused in rammed earth, plasters and furnishings; timber was sealed with an indigo oil mix; broken roof tiles recast into terrazzo and lime render. Most of the existing stone and steel fabric was retained, with new timber and earthen insertions enabling multi-storey occupation while preserving openings. Over fifteen local contractors contributed, and two years of public and school workshops connected regional crafts to design education. The project promotes regenerative construction, decentralised supply chains and ongoing maintenance through local knowledge.