L’École de design Nantes Atlantique
About the Region - Nantes: A City of Innovation and Education
Nantes, a vibrant metropolis in Western France, is situated in the Pays de la Loire region, just one hour from the Atlantic coast and two hours from Paris by TGV. Known for its dynamic economy, the city also stands out for its excellence and influence in higher education, making it a key hub on both national and international scales.
As a city that promotes innovation, sustainability, and quality of life, Nantes leads efforts in urban planning, health, transport, and ecological initiatives. It is home to 65,000 students across 20 higher education institutions, supported by Campus Nantes, a collective network emphasizing design and innovation as drivers of community development.
L’École de design Nantes Atlantique
L’École de design Nantes Atlantique is located in the heart of the Quartier de la Création on the Île de Nantes, within an iconic architectural space that embodies creativity, learning, and global outreach. Recognized as a private higher education institution of general interest by the Ministry of Higher Education, EDNA is eligible for Campus Nantes and offers state-recognized qualifications, including a Master’s degree in design.
With 1,800 students and a unique model in France, L’École de design Nantes Atlantique hosts five design labs, where more than 200 Master's students collaborate in applied research units. These labs address critical challenges in urban planning, health and public policy, food, digital technologies, and media. This multidisciplinary approach enables the school to position itself at the crossroads of design, innovation, and sustainable development, contributing meaningfully to both local and international communities.
The school fosters a deep connection with the professional world by providing project-based teaching in collaboration with key industrial partners such as Airbus Atlantic, 3DS, Stellantis, and institutional partners including Caisse des dépôts. Additionally, through European initiatives like the AYCH and Atlic projects, supported by Interreg Atlantic Area, the school engages in cross-border collaboration. These partnerships ensure that students gain hands-on experience while supporting innovative design approaches across various sectors. The school integrates social design, sustainable design, and a New European Bauhaus spirit, working to combine social, economic, and ecological dimensions in the development of future-ready designers and transformative projects.
What Picobello means for L’École de design Nantes Atlantique
Since 2022, the Design Labs at L’École de design Nantes Atlantique have collaborated with teams and departments from Nantes Métropole on initiatives such as greening public spaces, promoting health, improving food systems, and envisioning a gender-neutral city. Projects are selected by a joint steering committee, with outcomes presented annually to decision-makers. L’École de design Nantes Atlantique acts as a consulting expert, ensuring the New European Bauhaus principles are effectively integrated into policy instruments, fostering innovation and collaboration with stakeholders.
Through the PICOBELLO project, we aim to evaluate the impact of our actions and explore how a New European Bauhaus-oriented approach can enhance practices in services and neighbourhoods. This partnership offers a unique opportunity to identify and implement best practices from across Europe, amplifying the effectiveness of our initiatives and inspiring systemic change. By testing and refining our methods, we also seek to demonstrate the value of design and New European Bauhaus principles as powerful tools for shaping innovative and sustainable policy instruments.