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Origin and history

The Lainé warehouse, originally called the Real Warehouse of Colonial Goods, was built between 1822 and 1824 by architect Claude Deschamps in Bordeaux. Sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce and Customs, it was used for the storage under customs of colonial goods (sugar, coffee, cotton) from slave labour until 1848. Its location, liberated by the destruction of the Château Trompette in 1820, symbolized the post-Napoleonian economic revival of the port, then declining after the loss of Santo Domingo.

The building, inspired by Roman basilicas and oriental caravans, is distinguished by its structure in Bourg stone, bricks and wood from Oregon. Its main façade, now masked by the Maritime Exchange (1921-1925), featured three monumental arches opening onto a vaulted porch. A second warehouse, the Vauban Warehouse, was added in 1847 by Jean Burguet, but destroyed in 1965 to give way to the Maison du Paysan. The advantageous customs regime of the warehouse allowed Bordeaux traders to suspend duties and taxes indefinitely.

Ranked a historic monument in 1973 after a safeguard campaign led by Anne Claverie and Nicole Schÿler, with the support of Mayor Jacques Chaban-Delmas, the Lainé Warehouse was converted in 1975 to CAPC (Museum of Contemporary Art) and in 1980 to the seat of Arc in Dream, center of architecture. Renovations by Denis Valode, Jean Pistre and Andrée Putman until 1990 preserved its original structure. In 2024, a memorial space will recall its link with slavery, at the initiative of the Memoirs & Shares association.

The trapezoidal building, with identical facades except the east entrance, combines central naves, arches and terraces. Its three levels, accessible by stairs, including one with a view to Saint-Gilles, reflect a rigorous organization for storage. The lateral courtyard, covered with a glass roof, and the inner arcades in the middle of the hanger underline its Gallo-Roman inspiration. Today it is public property, it also houses offices and remains an architectural testimony of triangular commerce.

The name Lainé pays tribute to Viscount Joseph-Louis-Joachim Lainé, minister of Louis XVIII, who supported the project in 1818. The adjacent square, between the warehouse and the docks, bears his name. The site, located between Foy, Ferrère and Xavier-Arnozan Streets, was a hub of European commerce until the 20th century, before being supplanted by new port infrastructure. Its inscription in the Historical Monuments in 1973 marked a turning point in the preservation of Bordeaux industrial heritage.

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