In the French city of Nantes, the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the city’s long-anticipated railway station was a big event.
The socialist mayor, Johanna Rolland, presided over the unveiling of the eco-friendly station, which had been hailed as a marvel of architecture and engineering. The town’s councillors applauded its ‘natural ventilation’ system, which was supposed to make air conditioning unnecessary in hot summer months. Also present at the inauguration was celebrated French architect Rudy Ricciotti, the recipient of France’s highest distinctions, including the Légion d’honneur. He designed the station’s thermally self-regulating mezzanine. Its price tag was €37.5 million (£32 million).
That was six years ago. Today, the thermal ventilation system does not work. In hot weather, the Nantes railway station becomes an inferno. In last week’s heatwave, the shops in the glass mezzanine – including Starbucks – were forced to close. Local authorities hastily installed fans, but rail passengers preferred to sit outside to wait for their train.
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Maud Maron
