Commitment 08Read more
City-Port Interface
The City-Port Interface: A Resource for Diverse Development Projects
Developing public spaces and recreational or cultural amenities in City Port interface zones to create an appealing new area.
How to attract residents, visitors, and businesses to Port City interface zones?
The international draw of many port cities can be measured in terms of the increase in cruise business and water-based tourist activities. The economic and cultural impact of these activities is significant and generates added value for cities and ports alike. Besides boating, there is an opportunity to structure an entire sector around sailing, which would create direct job opportunities in the port area with positive repercussions for small businesses operating in the sailing industry and those in the hotel, catering and retail trades, both locally and regionally. This was the model adopted by Lorient, which combined a heritage site with a new sailing cluster, improving the connection between the port and the city.
Over the past decades, Lorient has seen far-reaching changes to its maritime activity after the French Navy abandoned many spaces and the submarine base in 1995. The submarine base opened in 1940, and the German army used it during the war. After that, it was occupied by the French army, who used the space until 1977. The place stayed abandoned until the beginning of 2000, when a decision was made to convert the 24-hectare site in the heart of the port city, as part of a strategy focused on promoting sailing, tourism, and the local heritage to drive economic development. The site redevelopment of "La Base" (The Base) started with a market research study carried out in 2001, looking at the potential for developing the sailing industry at the site of the former submarine base. The strategy adopted was based on three key points: offshore racing, support for sailing businesses, and refitting. It resulted in the creation of a business village devoted to maritime activities, an offshore racing area with dedicated infrastructures, and a tourist centre with the “Cité de la Voile Eric Tabarly” (Eric Tabarly Sailing City), along with a submarine museum. The Sailing City is a centre dedicated to boating and ocean racing. It works showcasing sailing and nautical businesses, and it offers the opportunity to discover the world of sailing through a museum tour.
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