In the heart of Nantes’ former shipyards, a remarkable creation known as The Great Elephant captivates residents and tourists alike. This enormous half-robot, half-building mechanical creature slowly roams the industrial landscape, carrying up to 50 passengers inside its moving body.
Part kinetic sculpture, part architectural marvel, The Great Elephant is a testament to creativity, engineering, and urban storytelling. Its carefully crafted wooden and metal structure moves with realistic gait and gestures, turning a simple walk into an immersive theatrical experience. Passengers aboard the elephant experience a unique perspective of the city as they glide along the shipyards and surrounding spaces.
The installation is the work of Les Machines de l’Île, a French artistic collective known for blending mechanical ingenuity with imaginative urban art. The project exemplifies how public art can transform industrial spaces into interactive environments, inviting citizens and visitors to experience the city in entirely new ways.
The Great Elephant has become an iconic symbol of Nantes, drawing crowds eager to witness its movements, ride inside its cavernous body, and participate in a living piece of art. It demonstrates how engineering, imagination, and urban design can merge to create experiences that are both spectacular and accessible, turning ordinary city streets into stages for cultural adventure.
