It was a risky and quite ambitious project to build a noteworthy cultural place at the heart of a debased suburb. We took a shot in putting culture back into this suburb in-between the borders of Clichy-sous-Bois and Montfermeil, two cities that suffer from stigmatization since the riots of 2005.

To accomplish this project, the EPCC (Public Institution for Cultural Cooperation) of the Ateliers Medicis decided to order an ephemeral and removable prototype structure. It should be a landmark that supports the project it announces. We sketched it as an echo, a peaceful and innovating piece in a simple and up-heaved area that exists in a hectic environment.

The ground floor was thought as the base of creation. The metal cladding basis plays with the lighting, and according to the light variation, either shines or darkens. The large windows in the workplaces upstairs allow passer-by to see the activity inside and workers to see the landscape. The walls are bedecked with sustainable and natural wood. The terrasse on the last floor is topped with a wide colourful tent fabric.

The small wooden tower looks as if it was floating in the wind and works as a marker of the major project in construction.