The city of Rennes has a population of 220,000, and is located in the north-west of France, in the heart of the Brittany region, around 350 km from Paris. It is the centre of the Rennes metropolitan area, which is home to almost 450,000 people.

Historically the administrative capital of Brittany, Rennes is now a major university centre, with over 70,000 students, and a key economic actor in the information technology, agri-food and mobility sectors. The city also boasts a strong cultural and associative life, with an abundance of creativity through festivals, contemporary art venues, networks and local artistic initiatives that bring together a wide range of people around collective projects.

However, Rennes is not exempt from contemporary urban challenges. Air pollution, linked in particular to urban sprawl and the still predominant use of cars, is a recurring problem. In response, the city is striving to transform its infrastructure: it recently inaugurated a second automated metro line and is actively developing its cycle network. Rennes also has numerous parks and gardens, which play a role in improving quality of life and fighting the effects of climate change.

While its city centre, with its half-timbered houses and historic buildings such as the Parliament of Brittany, remains a strong image of its identity, Rennes is also shaped by its rapid urbanisation and the contrasts between its neighbourhoods. This fast-changing city illustrates the tensions and opportunities that accompany social and environmental transformations in today's European metropolises.

The Gallo-Roman Origins
Rennes, known as Condate during the Gallo-Roman period, was born from the confluence of the Vilaine and Ille rivers. Founded in the 1st century before the Common Era, the city developed as a strategic hub for communication and trade. Its location along the Gallo-Roman road network quickly turned it into a major crossroads in the province of Brittany. Remnants from this era, such as the remains of Roman walls, still bear witness to its importance within the Roman Empire.

A Medieval Capital
During the Middle Ages, Rennes became the capital of the Duchy of Brittany. Surrounded by fortifications, the city grew around its cathedral and central market. In 1491, the marriage of Anne of Brittany to Charles VIII of France sealed the union of the Duchy of Brittany with the French crown, marking a decisive turning point in the city’s history. Rennes’ medieval heritage is still visible today in its half-timbered houses and narrow streets, particularly well-preserved in the Vieux Rennes (Old Rennes) district.

Reconstruction After the 1720 FireA defining event in Rennes’ history was the devastating fire of 1720, which destroyed much of the city. Under the guidance of architect Jacques Gabriel, Rennes was rebuilt with a modern urban plan for its time, featuring stone buildings and a more orderly street layout. The Parliament of Brittany, spared from the fire, remains a symbol of this period.

Rennes as a Modern and Industrial City
In the 19th century, Rennes underwent a transformation with the arrival of the railway in 1857. Industrialization led to the emergence of new working-class neighborhoods and the rapid development of infrastructure. However, this dynamism brought significant challenges, including managing the environmental and quality-of-life impacts of growth. Textile and mechanical industries settled in the region, driving economic growth but also causing local pollution.

A City Shaped by Its Transformations
Rennes bears the marks of every era of its history, from Roman ruins to modern facades, through classical architecture. These changes reflect the social, economic, and environmental transformations that have shaped the city, making it today both a witness to its past and a laboratory for contemporary transitions.

Employing a specific methodology designated by sociopsychologists and computer researchers, community members participate in sociodrama sessions, where wearable sensors register bodily and emotional reactions to specific social issues. The collected biometric data become frequencies, texts and audiovisual material, which, in turn, are given to artists as raw material for the creation of artworks.