Lorient station sets sail
Now just 3 hours by TGV from Paris, and with TER regional rail traffic also on the rise, Lorient faced a surge in passenger numbers. To cope, it completely redesigned its station to incorporate a major public space leading to the city centre. The new station was modeled after a ship, with stunning architecture inspired by the city’s seafaring history.
Inspired by local tuna boats
Architects chose a fishing vessel typical of nearby Ile de Groix as the model for Bretagne Sud, the town’s new passenger terminal. Its all-wood structure soars to 12 meters and is connected to station platforms by an elevated walkway that spans the tracks, linking the town centre to the Kerentrech district. Inaugurated in September 2018, this new railway station functions as a gateway to Lorient’s Odyssée district, an ambitious 15-ha urban renewal project with a mix of retail space, offices and housing.
A forecourt at the heart of it all
A landscape specialist worked with architects to design the station’s 6,000-sq m forecourt, which evokes far-off destinations with five planters featuring exotic flora and wave-shaped pavers. Named after French president François Mitterrand, it’s a hub for a wide range of mobilities—trains, buses, coaches, cars and bicycles. It also includes a hotel, a media centre and a wealth of shops serving both travellers and locals.
Lorient station welcomes you aboard
Award-winning design
In 2018 Lorient Bretagne Sud station won a number of awards for its revolutionary architecture, designed by SNCF subsidiaries Gares & Connexions and AREP.
- 2018 International Design Awards (IDA) runner-up in Los Angeles
- 2018 Trophées de la Construction, award for public buildings (Prix Construction-ERP)
- The Plan Award 2018