Quartier Exentric in Dunkerque, France

Situated only 13km from the Belgian border, Dunkerque is the northernmost city in France. The region is best known for its red brick houses. However, on the outskirts of the city, one neighbourhood stands out for its colourful, unusual houses: the 'Quartier Excentric' (Eccentric district).

The history of these thirty or so houses is as unique as their architecture. This district was not supposed to exist at the beginning of the 20th century. Although it was located in the neighbouring municipality of Rosendael, it was situated in front of the city of Dunkirk's fortifications. Only wooden structures, which could easily be dismantled, were permitted there.

In 1926, François Reynaert, an interior designer, purchased a plot of land there. He built his own house – l'Escargot, No. 147 Rue Carnot – without having studied architecture, instead improvising as an architect. The permit was logically refused by the military authorities.

But that didn't matter. He built his house in 1927. He received a fine and paid it. However, this legal mishap did not stop him: he did the same thing for the neighbouring house — Les Roses, No.

143 Rue Carnot — and, unsurprisingly, the authorities fined him a second time. This time, he set the machine in motion: he sold the plots of land he had created behind his house, on the condition that he would design the houses that would be built on them.

For each house, he created a unique design that was tailored to the tastes and financial means of the future owner. Each house had a name that generally influenced its appearance. The result was a wide variety of shapes, colours, and materials. The last building added to this complex was the 'Excentric Moulin' dance hall.

After World War II, only qualified architects were permitted to construct buildings. In total, Reynaert built 35 houses in the district. Seven houses were listed as Historic Monuments in 1988, followed by an eighth in 2016. These classifications recognise the importance of this unique and colourful complex.

A century after they were built, the quality and originality of the complex are finally being recognised, and this is a source of pride for the neighbourhood's residents.