"Off-site but not Off-ground" Exhibition in Nantes

Off-site construction – an extension of the history of prefabrication – has accompanied some of the great building adventures of the industrial era, from the conquest of the 20^th century. While it has deep historical roots – almost as old as architecture itself – off-site construction today opens up certain prospects in response to the major challenges of our time: the ecological emergency, the digital transition, the housing crisis, the changing world of work, and the imperative need for architectural quality.

Looking to the past, the "Hors-site mais pas Hors-sol" exhibition revisits the depth of a history made up of prototypes and bold architectural experimentation, as well as, quite the opposite, mass-produced and rationalized industrial processes. Looking to the future, it examines the relevance of off-site production in contemporary times alongside its new frontiers.

The exhibition delves into the heritage of off-site construction. It explores the ways in which prefabricated elements can be used to create architecture in response to the challenges of a given context. Placed at the heart of a project process that brings together companies, manufacturers, clients, and designers, the architect is invited to make the off-site lexicon his own and tame its immense potential.