05.17.24
LECTURE I REVERSIBLE MUTATIONS, A RIGHTEOUS AND SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE I QUARTUS ENDOWMENT FUND
As part of its “Regenerating the City” series of conferences, the Quartus Endowment Fund invites you to a lecture by architect Franklin Azzi, organized in partnership with Sammode, Tema.archi and Ground Control.
Reversible mutations, a righteous and sustainable architecture
Conference Wednesday June 5, 2024 at 7pm
Ground Control, 81 Rue du Charolais, 75012 Paris
“Against the tide of a world that preaches speed and opulence, it's necessary to defend an architecture that's said to be ‘just right’: measured in its needs, sober in its writing, perennial thanks to its ability to stand the test of time and adapt to usage.
From the earliest projects - Halles industrielles Alstom in Nantes, Imprimeries Mame in Tour (Bernard Zehrfuss, Jean Prouvé and Edgard Pillet) - to the present day -Tour Montparnasse with Nouvelle AOM (Franklin Azzi Architecture, Chartier Dalix Architectes, Hardel Le Bihan Architectes), the François Le Cœur building (early 20th century) on rue du Temple, Paris 4th arrondissement, the Wogenscky and Dubuisson block on avenue des Champs-Élysées, Paris 8th arrondissement - the rehabilitation of buildings, whether remarkable or not, has always been at the heart of our commitment. Prior to any intervention, the challenge is to question, auscultate and explore the contexts, manufacturing methods and materials used, before making a rigorous diagnosis. This historical and physical examination of the building is accompanied by a second, more forward-looking approach, revealing the buildings' untapped potential, understanding their capacity for mutation and analyzing users' real and future needs. A design that is aware of the challenges of its time and pays close attention to the signals of future developments.
This dual approach, both scientific and sensitive, translates into a high degree of rationality, acute attention to detail and a focus on know-how. The aim is to eschew formalism and technological overkill in favor of a return to “common sense”, favoring discernment, relevance and reason over effect. It's this functionalist sobriety that leaves real room for appropriation, experience and feeling.
While urban regeneration has now become an integral part of public policy, the challenge now is to go further. Reversible rehabilitation means making buildings part of a virtuous chain of transformation, in which the architect is both heir to a past history and player in its future transformation. It's a humble stance, and the skill of the person who adopts it guarantees that the building will be suited to its uses. The quality of a building is now measured by its ability to evolve over time." Franklin Azzi
