Nautical Research Journal 311


5. T e dockyard of Brest before the work of Choquet de Lindu. T e rope factory was then along the Anse de Troulan (leſt bank next to the French garden): it is the long building which forms the diagonal of the rectangle. © SHD


Architectural trial and error and fi nancial rigor stem from these two facts.


Rochefort


T e situation at Rochefort was quite diff erent. Created from scratch, the dockyard was intended to dazzle foreigners, and therefore to express a form of naval deterrence, as well as to convince Louis XIV of the need for a powerful Navy. T e resources deployed at Rochefort from 1666 were out of all proportion to what was devoted to other military ports, even though Louis XIV never visited the port, despite going to Dunkirk fi ve times. In particular, Colbert mobilized there the best architects of


the king. T is is how François Blondel came to be responsible for building


the rope factory. An offi cer in the galleys then a naval engineer and renowned architect, Blondel had an exceptional career, which saw him become director of


the Royal Academy of Architecture, where he


taught, before becoming professor of mathematics to the Grand Dauphin (Louis XIV’s son).


On the banks of the Charente the soil was of poor quality for foundations. Its geological origins made it a muddy and clayey material with poor load-bearing capacity. Inspired by the techniques of the Dutch, Blondel designed an oak frame network to support the building. Essentially, he assembled a sort of oak raſt below the ground level. Once the network was completed, the facade and partition walls were assembled from rubble and freestone masonry.


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