Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Huchon water reservoirs, located in Roubaix, were built in two distinct phases to meet the growing need for drinking water related to the city's industrial and demographic growth. In 1885, engineer Auguste Binet erected the first two tanks on Lacordaire Boulevard, marking a first step in the municipal hydraulic infrastructure. These structures, designed to combine utility and decoration, reflect the technical and aesthetic challenges of the time.

In 1930, the engineer Nourtier added two more tanks at the ends of the site, completing the whole with a similar approach but adapted to the standards and styles of his time. The four tanks, all in richly decorated red brick masonry, illustrate the evolution of construction techniques over nearly half a century. Their two-level elevation, which serves as a support for tanks, reflects a search for balance between industrial functionality and visual harmony.

Classified Historic Monuments by Order of August 12, 1998, these reservoirs are now protected for their heritage value. Their juxtaposition offers a unique testimony to the adaptation of urban infrastructure to the changing needs of a rapidly expanding city. The conservation of these buildings also underlines the importance attached to the preservation of the technical and architectural heritage of Hauts-de-France.

Although their initial use is linked to the distribution of water, their current status and location on a central boulevard in Roubaix make them important elements of the urban landscape. Their protection extends to all four structures, identified under the cadastral reference IP 5, and underlines their role in the industrial and social history of the region.

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