Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Cité des Électriciens, built between 1856 and 1861 by the Compagnie des mines de Bruay, is the oldest preserved mining town in Nord-Pas-de-Calais. Located in Bruay-la-Buissière, it symbolizes the development of the coal industry and the paternalism of the 19th century, with its 43 coron dwellings (bars of brick houses) and its workers' gardens. His name pays tribute to the physicists of electricity, attributed to the streets between 1921 and 1926.

Built to house the miners near pit n°2 (known as Mont Blanc), the city reflects a utility architecture: local bricks, coated with lime, and anchoring irons to strengthen the facades. The first inhabitants, often reconverted peasants, saw their living conditions evolve with the addition of running water ( 1950s) and garages (from 1952). The city also hosts waves of immigration (Belges in the 19th century, Poles and Italians in the 20th century), marking its social history.

Classified as a Historic Monument in 2009 and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2012, the Cité des Électriciens is rehabilitated between 2013 and 2019 by the Philippe Prost workshop. The project combines preservation (social housing, original materials) and innovation (interpretation centre, artist residences, shared gardens). Today, the site combines worker memory, cultural tourism and contemporary creation, illustrating the reconversion of mining landscapes.

The rehabilitation includes durable materials (wood, recycled bricks) and landscaped areas, such as a conservatory orchard. Exhibitions and artistic installations (e.g. Monument to 100 faces, Bio-TEX) highlight the history of miners and current heritage issues. The city remains inhabited, with social housing and public facilities, perpetuating its role in local life.

The artistic interventions, since 2008 (the company Les Pas Perdus), accompanied the site's transition. Temporary or permanent works (La Géante Mireille, frescoes) interact with industrial architecture. The interpretive centre, the heart of the project, offers an immersive scenography of mining habitat, while the educational gardens recall the historical importance of working vegetable gardens.

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