It’s hard to imagine that behind the world’s largest digital art center lies a remnant of World War II. In Bordeaux, the Bassins des Lumières once housed German submarines before becoming the venue for the immersive exhibitions we know today. Once a submarine base, this imposing concrete fortress has, in just a few years, become a must-see art center that welcomes nearly 800,000 visitors a year. Let’s take a look back at the incredible transformation of this place steeped in art and history.
A former German submarine base
It was in 1941, during the Occupation, that German forces began construction of the Bordeaux submarine base. Its strategic location, near the Atlantic, made it an ideal site to house their fleet. After several months of construction, its eleven berths were able to accommodate up to fifteen German submarines. No fewer than 43 submarines were stationed there during the war.
When German troops left Bordeaux in August 1944, the base remained almost intact. The postwar period opened a new chapter for the site, though it did not immediately provide it with a clearly defined purpose. The building came under the management of the Autonomous Port of Bordeaux. Beginning in the 1960s, its vast spaces were used for industrial activities. At the same time, artists, filmmakers, and musicians began to take an interest in this extraordinary architecture.
Little by little, creativity has taken over the space. Exhibitions, concerts, and artistic projects are helping to reveal the potential of this immense concrete structure.
The Transformation into the World’s Largest Digital Art Center
The real turning point came in 2020. The City of Bordeaux entrusted the management of the base to Culturespaces, which conceived a cultural project worthy of its monumental scale. Les Bassins des Lumières was born and became the world’s largest digital art center.
The concept? To create a dialogue between artworks, music, and architecture through monumental projections. Images unfold across the walls, vaults, and water surfaces, immersing visitors inartistic and cultural worlds—from works by Matisse and Frida Kahlo to the depths of the oceans and gigantic dinosaurs.
From a military base designed for war to a place dedicated to art and wonder, the contrast is striking. Les Bassins des Lumières thus give this unique monument a second life, without erasing the traces of its past. A spectacular transformation that reminds us that certain places can change their appearance while preserving their history.
