Strasbourg Forges Competition 1928 (≈ 1928)
Launch of the Metal Housing Competition.
1929-1930
Construction of 500 houses
Construction of 500 houses 1929-1930 (≈ 1930)
Made for the Railway Company.
années 1930
Opening of the social centre
Opening of the social centre années 1930 (≈ 1930)
Social permanences and educational activities.
7 novembre 2022
Historic Monument Protection
Historic Monument Protection 7 novembre 2022 (≈ 2022)
Registration by ministerial decree.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The former social centre, in full, on parcel No. 173, appearing in the cadastre of the commune, section AZ, as shown on the plan attached to the decree: inscription by order of 7 November 2022
Key figures
Adrien Brelet - Architect
Designer of the social center, student of Auguste Perret.
André Le Donné - Architect
Co-author of the metal railway project.
Oscar Nitzchké - Architect
Collaborator on metal cities.
Origin and history
The former social centre of Thouars is located in the neighbourhood of the Black Village, a housing complex built by the State Railway Company for its modest employees. This district, built in two phases around the First World War, is distinguished by its brick, stone and prefabricated metal structures designed by the Strasbourg Forges. Metal houses, painted in green like locomotives, offered modern equipment for the period (water room, indoor toilet). The social centre, located in the heart of this neighbourhood, was dedicated to welcoming women and children, offering educational activities, free medical consultations and daily social support.
The village noir owes its name to the black gules, nicknamed cheminots covered with cambois, whose life was rhythmic by train schedules. This solid-hearted neighbourhood housed large families, often low-income workers. The social centre, led by a social worker from the 1930s, played a key role: hygiene, childcare, recreation for children and workshops for women (couture, cooking). It symbolized community assistance in an environment marked by the constraints of railway work. Today, this metal building, the unique vestige of its type in Thouars, has been awarded the 20th century Heritage label and has been protected since 2022.
Designed by the architects Adrien Brelet, André Le Donné and Oscar Nitzchké — pupils of Auguste Perret — this social centre is part of a national programme of social metal housing launched in 1928. The 500 similar houses, built in 1929-1930 for the railway towns of Nantes, Le Mans or Rouen, have almost all disappeared. In Thouars, this building demonstrates innovative industrial architecture and a social history linked to rail. His inscription in the Historical Monuments in 2022 consecrated his heritage value, both for his constructive originality and for his role in local working memory.
