Completion of the complex 1969 (≈ 1969)
500 units delivered in 25 plots.
1972
Reinstallation of prototype
Reinstallation of prototype 1972 (≈ 1972)
Prototype dismantled in Aubervilliers, installed in La Courneuve.
2010
Registration of plot 2
Registration of plot 2 2010 (≈ 2010)
Classification to historical monuments.
2011-2017
Successive Demolition
Successive Demolition 2011-2017 (≈ 2014)
23 of the 25 plots destroyed.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
In total, the residential complex constituting plot 2 of the Lods de la Grand-Mare ensemble (Case DV 26): inscription by order of 9 July 2010
Key figures
Marcel Lods - Architect
Co-founder of GEAI, project designer.
Paul Depondt - Architect
Collaborator at the GEAI.
Henri Beauclair - Architect
Member of the GEAI group.
Edgard Pisani - Minister of Equipment
Authorized construction in 1969.
Origin and history
The entire Grand'Mare is a 500-unit complex divided into 25 4-storey plots, located in Rouen (Seine-Maritime). Completed in 1969, it illustrates the urbanization of the city's northern plateaus. This innovative project, led by the GEAI group (Marcel Lods, Paul Depondt, Henri Beauclair), uses a metal structure and aluminium and glass facades, with prefabricated elements industrialised by Saint-Gobain, Pechiney and OTUA. A prototype, originally installed in Aubervilliers, was dismantled and relocated to La Courneuve in 1972 after ministerial validation.
The complex, designed to combine habitat flexibility and green spaces, became a model of urban development. However, technical problems (acoustic and thermal insulation, watertightness) and nine fatal fires (8 victims) marked his history. Threatened by demolition in the 1980s, it was partially saved by the mobilization of the inhabitants. Despite renovations (one in 2008), most of the plots were demolished between 2011 and 2017. Only plot No. 2, listed as historical monuments in 2010, remains today.
The documentary film Jeu de construction (1970s) bears witness to the technical audacity of this project, a symbol of the architectural experiments of the twentieth century. The progressive demolition reflects the challenges posed by large groups, between modern heritage and social issues. The preservation of plot 2 underscores its heritage value, despite initial criticism.
