Created in 1997 on the outskirts of Rennes, the Jardins du Breil are a place for welcoming people and fostering exchange. Convinced that art can support the professional reintegration of people facing hardship, the EPI association wished to introduce an artistic dimension to the site.
The apprentice gardeners had no dedicated space where they could take shelter or simply take a break, and they wanted to create a place near the greenhouses where they could meet, relax and find refuge. EPI’s social supervisor worked alongside the director of the organisation, the head of the garden site, and representatives of the gardeners to form a commissioning group to initiate an artistic project. Artist Nicolas Floc’h proposed creating a warm, welcoming space in harmony with its surroundings.
The artist chose an organic form and building materials reminiscent of earth. With the simple curves of a potato, La Patate chaude evokes an archetypal shelter—somewhere between a cocoon and a cave. Nestled among greenhouses and farmland, the work becomes a landmark for the site, visible from the nearby road and symbolising an activity at the crossroads of social and environmental values.
Both ecological and experimental, La Patate chaude is built around a steel frame that provides structure and support, covered with metal mesh. Lime concrete coats the interior and exterior walls, with a thick layer of hempcrete in between. These ecological materials provide excellent thermal insulation, complemented by double-glazed windows. The building’s orientation was designed so that its two large windows receive sunlight throughout the day. Finally, it is heated by a wood-burning stove—an economical, low-impact heating solution, since much of the wood can be sourced directly from the gardens.
