The Halles de la Cartoucherie project is taking shape. The first stone was laid on Friday, November 19. Behind a set of shops, facilities and local services, we find the maneuver: the Cosmopolis collective, which brings together entrepreneurs concerned with respecting the environment and the history of the place.

A project presented as “the future largest third-place in France”, congratulated Gilles Jumaire, founder of Toulouse productions Bleu Citron and member of the Cosmopolis collective. “We are out of the construction and financing part.”

A rehabilitation of the old halls

This industrial wasteland has indeed had a rich history: military and industrial activities, mixed with the production of armaments for centuries. Firing ranges, artillery school … Up to 14,800 employees worked on the site before activities ceased in 2005.

Activities ceased in 2005 and out of a total of 82 hectares, only two buildings will be kept to be rehabilitated: halls 121 and 128. A new space designed as “a public place” by Cosmopolis. From 2023, gastronomy, leisure, culture, well-being and work will be mingled there – by putting social innovation and sustainable development at the heart of the project.

A “public place” mixing gastronomy, sport, coworking and cultural spaces

More precisely, the 13,500 m2 of exploitation will be divided into four roughly equivalent spaces: 3,000 m2 dedicated to gastronomy, ditto for sport / well-being (with fitness, cardio and a large climbing room) and for coworking spaces. 4000 m2 will be dedicated to culture, with a performance hall and four cinemas loads by Véo.

More than 2,000 housing units will be delivered, accompanied by a multitude of local shops: bakery, restaurants, pharmacy, café, optician, driving school, medium-sized food store, etc.

The works started in mid September 2021 and will be completed for a first part in May 2023, with a gourmet hall. 60 projects were selected to be part of it, all from Occitanie.

By then, a 500 m2 room will be open, with a producers’ square, a café bar, a pizzeria, two food stands, a wine cellar and a neighborhood concierge.

Sustainable development at the heart of the project

The project has obtained the support of the Occitanie region to the tune of 1.88 million euros, under the call for projects “NoWatt Building” for its exemplary nature from an environmental point of view. Carole Delga, the president of the region, sees it “a showcase for ecological and inclusive transition in Occitania”.

This space of a new kind will set an example far beyond our region – Carole Delga

The Cartoucherie eco-district will notably have a heating and cooling network from 100% renewable energies and no rainwater discharge.

Jean Luc Moudenc, the mayor of Toulouse, greets him a “architectural ensemble symbol of Toulouse’s industrial past and strong identity marker of the district.”