LYT-X Studio transforms an industrial waterfront site into a civic cultural facility

The Brise-Vent Havre Harbor Museum, designed by architectural firm LYT-X Studio, a cultural project located on the historic waterfront of Le Havre, France. It repurposes a former industrial harbor structure, integrating it into the urban and maritime context as a civic facility. Instead of treating the structure as a static artifact, the project redefines it as a spatial resource suited to contemporary public and cultural use.

Long-distance view from the water, highlighting the museum’s relationship to the harbor and the city skyline beyond.
Photo credit: LYT-X Studio

The site once played a vital role in Le Havre’s industrial and port operations. Over time, however, the building lost its original function and became disconnected from urban life. This project responds by preserving the existing architecture as a historical layer while incorporating new elements that expand its potential for public engagement.

Aerial view from the harbor entrance, situating the museum within the broader urban and maritime context of Le Havre.
Photo credit: LYT-X Studio

The extended curved roof canopy forms a continuous public edge above the waterfront dock and outdoor gathering spaces.
Photo credit: LYT-X Studio

Adaptive reuse of the existing industrial structure along the northern edge, integrating new cultural functions while preserving the original fabric.
Photo credit: LYT-X Studio

The spatial configuration connects the city, the waterfront, and the harbor through a continuous circulation sequence. A curved roof, extended along the waterfront as a canopy, shapes outdoor movement and provides shaded spaces. This canopy also creates a transitional zone between the urban promenade and harbor activity. Beneath it, semi-open public areas and a courtyard are accessible from both land and water sides. Public accessibility is a key concept in the design. The courtyard remains open outside of museum hours, serving as a civic space throughout the day. Boundaries between interior and exterior zones are defined through spatial continuity, not just transparency. The arrangement of exhibition halls and performance areas accommodates both cultural programming and informal everyday use.

Plaza courtyard view, conceived as the civic heart of the project and a connector between city, museum, and waterfront.
Photo credit: LYT-X Studio

Interior view of the museum atrium, where circulation, exhibition, and public gathering intersect within a shared spatial volume.
Photo credit: LYT-X Studio

The program includes permanent and temporary exhibition galleries, flexible event spaces, a performance hall, and outdoor areas that connect directly to the harbor dock. This configuration supports various cultural formats and ensures long-term adaptability. Interior spaces are organized with clear circulation and views toward the sea, reinforcing the building’s connection to its maritime setting.

Interior view of the open exhibition area beneath the courtyard, designed for flexible cultural programming and public use.
Photo credit: LYT-X Studio

Flexible exhibition space beneath the courtyard, supporting temporary installations and evolving curatorial formats.
Photo credit: LYT-X Studio

The project reflects a defined architectural position on heritage reuse, public openness, and urban continuity. Founder Dingdong Tang led the development of this vision within LYT-X Studio, working in collaboration with Co-Founders Zehui Li and Haisheng Xu. Together, they translated the approach into spatial strategies, circulation design, and environmental planning. Sustainability was addressed through reuse of the existing structure and minimizing new construction. The canopy offers passive shading and supports microclimate regulation along the waterfront. Natural light enters through courtyard openings, and coastal wind is used for ventilation, contributing to comfort and energy performance. Brise-Vent Havre Harbor Museum illustrates how an industrial site can evolve into a contemporary cultural facility. It is an architectural effort to reconnect the public with a historical environment while creating new possibilities for civic use.

About LYT-X Studio

LYT-X Studio is an architectural practice based in Los Angeles, with a focus on cultural buildings, adaptive reuse, and urban regeneration. The studio avoids fixed formal languages, instead responding to context, history, and patterns of public use. Through this approach, it seeks to redefine architecture’s role in shaping long-term relationships between cities and civic life.