Since 2012, the Frac Bretagne has been based in Rennes in a building designed by the French architect Odile Decq to host exhibitions, documentation and the collection.

The building

The architectural program

As a leading cultural venue in Rennes, the building is as much an exhibition and conservation area as a living space.

The building covers 5,000 m², including 1,000 m² dedicated to conservation and technical areas, 1,000 m² to exhibitions divided into three galleries, 400 m² to documentation, 200 m² to audience programs and 500 m² that are distributed between the lobby, the auditorium and the restaurant.

A strong architectural gesture

Odile Decq conceived the Frac Bretagne building to be a sensory experience.

The entrance, the reception, the rooftop terrace, the multiple ramps and bridges; all these spaces are designed to lead the visitor on a vertical pathway throughout the building. The space is never centralised or static, but always dynamic, allowing the visitor constant sensory exploration.

The entire building is constructed of surface-treated raw materials: anthracite architectural concrete, black stainless steel and black-to-transparent glazing on the outside and light grey architectural concrete, black stainless steel, red lacquer and smooth, light concrete on the inside.

Project history

Created in 1981, the Frac Bretagne settled in a former school in Châteaugiron in 1986 to develop and enrich its collection.

In 2001, the creation of a new building became a necessity, as the premises in Châteaugiron were not adapted to the Frac’s mission, and did not permit it to consider its evolution.

This project, approved by the Regional Council of Brittany, the Ministry of Culture and Communication and the City of Rennes in 2002, coincided with the Fracs’ ambition to expand their mission of conservation, diffusion and documentation in order to become venues of discovery and permanent exchange open to a large public.

The new building of the Frac Bretagne opened to the public in July 2012.