La Halle de la Machine is a hall installed at Toulouse, in the ancient Aeropostale airport now reconverted as a fully reconstructed residential complex. This is one of the city workshops of La Compagnie de la Machine, a French performing arts company installed at Nantes making gigantic animated animal-like or mythic creatures machines for urban animations or live shows.
This Hall is what they call a “stable”, the machines are constructed in the workshop in Nantes and Toulouse’s Hall is an exhibit or their activities.
Three gigantic machines are present in Toulouse : the Minotaur, and two giant Spiders. When I was visiting the workshop, there was also in the background the body of Long Ma, a Chinese-inspired creature that was back from China to receive some maintenance job.
Visiting this Hall is like visiting a mad inventor’s lab, the amount of strange machines and device is just delirious.
The Minotaur, this is what they call an Urban Machine, made with a space on its back to receive people and take a tour in the neighborhood, mainly on the former aeropostale's airplane landing runway.f/4 47mm0.0125sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022f/4 26.5mm0.01sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022One of the two spiders. I wasn't very confortable in front of it⦠This is the one featured in the show set in China with Long Ma, the Dragon horse.f/4 42mm0.008sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022The front of the spider. It has a lot of special effects, like water spitting, smoke, moving eyes, etc.f/14 33mm0.025sISO 200NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022In front of the Hall, there is this squared Carrousel made with animated insects. Sadly, it wasn't running during my visit.f/4 24mm0.0015625sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022f/4 37mm0.003125sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022f/4 37mm0.00625sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022f/4 58mm0.01sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022f/4 58mm0.00125sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022f/4 34.5mm0.000625sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022f/4 24mm0.003125sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022f/4 24mm0.00125sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022f/4 25mm0.00125sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022A selfie with Mr. Penguin ! I had to do it quick, it was starting raining...f/18 24mm0.016666666666666666sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022f/4 24mm0.002sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022f/4 51mm0.000625sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022f/4 70mm0.002sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022When Long Ma came back from China, Toulouse organized an event with it.f/4 55mm0.0005sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022This is Long Ma's body. Long Ma has been ordered by a Chinese patron and has been constructed as a gift to celebrate the French-Chinese friendship. The Machine was supposed to be an urban attraction like the Minotaur or the Elephant at Nantes, but the Chinese city where it has been installed never used it, only during the inaugural show. Unused, Long Ma has returned to France for maintenance because of its inactivity.f/4 70mm0.001sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022A girafe machine idea.f/4 24mm0.02sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022An overview of the hall. In the back, you can see the second impressive spider. This one has been featured during a show in Nantes.f/4 24mm0.0125sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022A bear machine idea.f/4 24mm0.025sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022f/4 28.5mm0.02sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022These wings were mounted on the Minautor during its inaugural show.f/4 32.5mm0.004sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022f/4 28.5mm0.02sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022f/4 27mm0.016666666666666666sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022A page flip machine.f/4 24mm0.03333333333333333sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022f/4 24mm0.04sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022f/4 34mm0.016666666666666666sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022An automated piano.f/4 24mm0.04sISO 160NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022f/4 24mm0.04sISO 200NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022This is one of the shows hosted by the Toulouse's Hall. Regularly, they organize Machine-theme dinners using a lot of very inspired devices and ways to serve the guests.f/4 24mm0.04sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022The glasses are attached to stands that may never fall.f/4 24mm0.02sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022This is how you serve water.f/4 24mm0.03333333333333333sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022f/4 24.5mm0.04sISO 160NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022No, it's not what you may think :p This is a part of the dinner activity, this hanging device is for the waiters.f/4 30mm0.03333333333333333sISO 200NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022f/4 24mm0.02sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022Long Ma's body sculpture.f/4 24mm0.04sISO 360NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022Every decoration are made in wood and manually sculpted. The details level is awesome.f/4 25.5mm0.04sISO 320NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022f/4 70mm0.0125sISO 900NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022f/4 51mm0.02sISO 560NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022f/4 24mm0.02sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022
La Machine’s machines are not robots. They’re gigantic animatronics driven by several people. It’s fully mechanics and hydraulics. For example, the Spider required twelve people to be operated … Yes : Twelve !
There is one person per leg, plus other persons to drive the various animations and other body parts. Also, a person has to drive the vehicle of which the machine is constructed. Unlike the machine’s frame which is specific, the vehicle is just a small mobile crane-like vehicle on which the machine has been constructed. The hydraulics systems are made to be easily repaired and their design is simple enough to avoid too much costly maintenance.
Come here by night, with the right lighting, and you will assuredly scream like you've never had to.f/4 24mm0.04sISO 200NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022A small replicaf/4 24mm0.04sISO 160NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022f/4 24mm0.02sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022A photo made during Long Ma's show in China.f/4 34.5mm0.004sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022A very strange creature.f/4 31.5mm0.016666666666666666sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022f/4 34.5mm0.02sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022This is a rope articulated human body machine idea.f/4 24mm0.016666666666666666sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022Long Ma's urban mode, with a pagoda on its back to receive people.f/4 24mm0.01sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022Still from the dinner show, a bread catapult. Yep.f/4 33mm0.025sISO 250NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022An alternate version of the Minotaur, the Centaur.f/4 24mm0.04sISO 180NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022f/4 24mm0.04sISO 125NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022f/4 24mm0.04sISO 220NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022If I remember well, that's Long Ma's tong.f/4 42mm0.00625sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022Long Ma's photos in China.f/4 24mm0.025sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022A Machine orchestra, made with salvaged parts. The music is ... Special.f/4 24mm0.04sISO 400NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022A musical saw machine.f/4 24mm0.04sISO 200NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022And an automated keyboard.f/4 43mm0.02sISO 320NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022A copper instruments orchestra.f/4 39mm0.005sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022This guitar wheel is playing a beautiful melody which is always the same, but as the rotation is slowing down, you think it's different. I tried to record a video, but I've noticed far later that I've forgot to enable my camera's mic...f/4 49mm0.0125sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022The jumping guy is the composer of the machine orchestra.f/4 24mm0.03333333333333333sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022Some fair activitiesf/4 30mm0.025sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022f/4 24mm0.04sISO 180NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022f/4 26mm0.03333333333333333sISO 200NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022f/4 37mm0.025sISO 450NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022f/4 44mm0.02sISO 360NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022This machine was made with car's honks ! I think the noise must be terrible, they didn't activated it. Fortunately.f/4 24mm0.04sISO 360NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022f/4 24mm0.04sISO 200NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022Some last overview.f/4 24mm0.0125sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022f/4 24mm0.03333333333333333sISO 100NIKON Z 5 Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SSeb - September 29, 2022