Projekt von
Hervé Laurendeau
Begleitung
Jo Taillieu
North of La Rochelle, the Baie de l'Aiguillon bears witness to a structurally invasive past, partially camouflaged in its shallow waters. 400 hectares of abandoned oyster beds locally known as crassats, remnants of the shellfish industry, lie in the intertidal zone. In recent years, this anthropized space favoured the incursion of non-native species which prevents other molluscs from developing. As a result, the bay's biodiversity has been impoverished on many levels. Decades after the first signs of neglect, a territorial program was finally put in place, co-financed by the European Commission and the French government, to preserve, restore and enhance habitats of ecological importance.
Home with what remains: A sorting-house as a form of occupancy right continues this investigation into the reversal of intertidal colonisation. The project's priority is to make the most of what already exists, both at sea and on land, considering rural ports as (almost) ready-to-use infrastructure for cleaning and distribution.