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All French heritage classified by regions, departments and cities

  2. Patrimoine
  3. Bretagne
  4. Finistère
  5. 29200 Brest

  6. Auberge de jeunesse du Moulin Blanc

Auberge de jeunesse du Moulin Blanc à Brest dans le Finistère

Finistère

Auberge de jeunesse du Moulin Blanc

    5 Rue de Kerbriant
    29200 Brest
Auberge de jeunesse du Moulin Blanc
Auberge de jeunesse du Moulin Blanc
Auberge de jeunesse du Moulin Blanc
Crédit photo : Gaëlle Fily - Sous licence Creative Commons

Timeline

Époque contemporaine
2000
1981
Start of work
mai 1983
Inauguration
1991
Architecture price
2011
Participation in JEPs
1er-2 octobre 2013
Celebration of 30 years
19 septembre 2018
MH classification
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui

Heritage classified

The youth hostel of the Moulin Blanc in total: six buildings B1 to B6 with their home furniture, as well as the park for its plate floor and its architectural elements (walls, walls, walkways, stairs, etc.), set appearing in the cadastre section BH parcel n° 158: inscription by order of 19 September 2018.

Key figures

Roland Schweitzer - Architect and urbanist Project Principal Designer (1925-2018)
Philippe Jean - Application Architect Schweitzer Collaborator, Construction Supervisor
Comte de Chalus - Former owner of the estate Owned the land and two buildings reused
Gabriel Le Vourc'h - B3 constructor Realized the Director's wooden building

Origin and history

The Moulin Blanc youth hostel, located in Brest, is a major architectural achievement of the 4th quarter of the 20th century. Inaugurated in May 1983, it was designed by architect Roland Schweitzer and his collaborator Philippe Jean, on a former bourgeois estate of 7,200 m2 belonging to the Count of Chalus. The project, awarded in 1991 by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, combines concrete and wood in a bold structure adapted to the natural slope of the land towards the sea. Two pre-existing buildings, a barn and a cottage, were integrated into the whole.

The complex consists of six buildings (B1 to B6), the two main buildings (B1 and B2) of which house accommodation, common areas and meeting rooms. The B3, made of wood, serves as a dwelling for the director, while the B6, built in 1986, reuses historical elements such as the old henhouse. The hostel, registered as a historical monument in 2018, has been participating in European Heritage Days since 2011 and attracts architects and students for its innovative design.

The hostel is run by the Association départementale des inns de jeunesse du Finistère. Its park, footbridges and interior facilities, designed by Schweitzer, retain remarkable authenticity. In 2013, a commemorative booklet was published for 30 years in the presence of architects. The site, close to the marina and Oceanopolis, is located in a dynamic area of Brest, mixing heritage and modernity.

The recognition of the hostel extends beyond its tourist function: it was visited as part of the 2011 Brittany Architecture Award and remains an example studied for its balance between mass and lightness. The skydomes of the B6, the wooden courtyard inspired by Japanese constructions, and the integration of a tree into the B3 illustrate this search for harmony between nature and architecture.

The construction permit granted in September 1981 marked the beginning of an ambitious construction project, completed in two years. The furniture and interior fittings, still in place, reflect Schweitzer's overall vision, where each detail contributes to the user experience. Today, the hostel combines socio-educational accommodation, exhibitions and guided tours, perpetuating its role as a living and educational place.

External links

Page Wikipedia
Page Monumentum