Never Demolish
April 10, 2021 8:41 PM Subscribe
Anne Lacaton and Jean-Philippe Vassal have been named as the recipients of the 2021 Pritzker Architecture Prize
“The modernist hopes and dreams to improve the lives of many are reinvigorated through their work that responds to the climatic and ecological emergencies of our time,” notes the Pritzker jury, “as well as social urgencies, particularly in the realm of urban housing.”
It’s a perspective perhaps most emphatically encapsulated by the firm’s work in Bordeaux’s Place Léon Aucoc. In 1996, a public commission invited designers to improve the modest park. Lacaton & Vassal jumped at the chance. They began by carefully observing the space throughout the day, learning how the local residents used the park. Afterwards, they proposed an unusual approach. “We found that the park was successfully serving an important purpose for the community,” Lacaton explained in a 2019 lecture at the American University in Cairo, “so our solution was to do nothing.”
Pritzker site link about award, here. A second article looking at why this is potentially revolutionary for architecture, here.
“The modernist hopes and dreams to improve the lives of many are reinvigorated through their work that responds to the climatic and ecological emergencies of our time,” notes the Pritzker jury, “as well as social urgencies, particularly in the realm of urban housing.”
It’s a perspective perhaps most emphatically encapsulated by the firm’s work in Bordeaux’s Place Léon Aucoc. In 1996, a public commission invited designers to improve the modest park. Lacaton & Vassal jumped at the chance. They began by carefully observing the space throughout the day, learning how the local residents used the park. Afterwards, they proposed an unusual approach. “We found that the park was successfully serving an important purpose for the community,” Lacaton explained in a 2019 lecture at the American University in Cairo, “so our solution was to do nothing.”
Pritzker site link about award, here. A second article looking at why this is potentially revolutionary for architecture, here.
Their willingness to leave a space alone (a park) that worked as it was is remarkable.
Thanks for posting.
posted by lesbiassparrow at 9:19 PM on April 10, 2021 [5 favorites]
Thanks for posting.
posted by lesbiassparrow at 9:19 PM on April 10, 2021 [5 favorites]
This is such joyful news. When it was announced, it made me feel full of hope and energy.
All of their work is very good, and I have often wondered how they do it. Not the design, but how they persuade the clients and authorities that their solutions are the right ones. To begin with, they didn't even have a website. I think this was the first project of theirs I saw in some journal, and my mind was blown. It was exactly how I would like to think about architecture, but where I live, no one could see it as architecture. Which is actually why I began to write, I wanted to tell people about other ways of working. But then came the boom and the bust and people were obsessed with star-chitects and their monuments.
During the last decade, things have been changing towards the better, I hope it lasts.
posted by mumimor at 10:43 PM on April 10, 2021 [10 favorites]
All of their work is very good, and I have often wondered how they do it. Not the design, but how they persuade the clients and authorities that their solutions are the right ones. To begin with, they didn't even have a website. I think this was the first project of theirs I saw in some journal, and my mind was blown. It was exactly how I would like to think about architecture, but where I live, no one could see it as architecture. Which is actually why I began to write, I wanted to tell people about other ways of working. But then came the boom and the bust and people were obsessed with star-chitects and their monuments.
During the last decade, things have been changing towards the better, I hope it lasts.
posted by mumimor at 10:43 PM on April 10, 2021 [10 favorites]
“so our solution was to do nothing.”
If only this approach was taken in so, so many other areas. Sadly, far too often engineers, developers, designers, managers, etc. seem to define their worth in terms of doing something, anything.
posted by Thorzdad at 6:27 AM on April 11, 2021 [2 favorites]
If only this approach was taken in so, so many other areas. Sadly, far too often engineers, developers, designers, managers, etc. seem to define their worth in terms of doing something, anything.
posted by Thorzdad at 6:27 AM on April 11, 2021 [2 favorites]
I clicked on mumimor’s link and fell into the rabbit hole of their website. There’s an apartment complex in Chalon-sur-Saone that is really interesting but my god, it looks like it was photographed with a point and shoot camera. It must be a deliberate choice as it looks like they took the interiors as they found them with coffee cups and water bottles on the table, sweaters draped over chair backs, toys all over the bedroom floor—and not artfully strewn; actually messy. All poorly lit. It’s about as far from the meticulously photographed shelter mag ideal as possible. But it looks like an incredible place to live. Each unit can be completely open to the outside. Not just a balcony but a kind of intermediate space called a winter garden with their trademark transparent corrugated plastic walls. (Although, I know from experience, when it rains, the noise is deafening if it’s on the roof).
There’s another proposed? project in Dijon which I think involves rehabbing existing blocks of flats to make them more open to the outside. It’s all very interesting.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 6:54 AM on April 11, 2021 [3 favorites]
There’s another proposed? project in Dijon which I think involves rehabbing existing blocks of flats to make them more open to the outside. It’s all very interesting.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 6:54 AM on April 11, 2021 [3 favorites]
It must be a deliberate choice as it looks like they took the interiors as they found them with coffee cups and water bottles on the table, sweaters draped over chair backs, toys all over the bedroom floor—and not artfully strewn; actually messy. All poorly lit. It’s about as far from the meticulously photographed shelter mag ideal as possible.
Yes, that is their trademark style of presentation, and it is actually quite widely copied, specially at the schools, but also by other practicing architects, who tone the mess down quite a bit. It is one way of saying that they don't do posh design, but living spaces.
Another thing is their projects are often a lot cheaper than other solutions for the same questions.
posted by mumimor at 7:20 AM on April 11, 2021 [3 favorites]
Yes, that is their trademark style of presentation, and it is actually quite widely copied, specially at the schools, but also by other practicing architects, who tone the mess down quite a bit. It is one way of saying that they don't do posh design, but living spaces.
Another thing is their projects are often a lot cheaper than other solutions for the same questions.
posted by mumimor at 7:20 AM on April 11, 2021 [3 favorites]
Yes, that house you linked to, € 65,000 in 2000 ((sob!))
posted by TWinbrook8 at 9:10 AM on April 11, 2021
posted by TWinbrook8 at 9:10 AM on April 11, 2021
This is wonderful!
I know next to nothing about architecture, despite a ridiculous affection for so many specific buildings. I am always so fascinated and inspired to learn about people doing good, thoughtful work that benefits the people who use the buildings the most - making them beautiful AND exceptionally functional.
I am so glad to know about these two, and their history and their work. Thank you so much for sharin this, gusottertrout!
posted by kristi at 1:46 PM on April 11, 2021 [1 favorite]
I know next to nothing about architecture, despite a ridiculous affection for so many specific buildings. I am always so fascinated and inspired to learn about people doing good, thoughtful work that benefits the people who use the buildings the most - making them beautiful AND exceptionally functional.
I am so glad to know about these two, and their history and their work. Thank you so much for sharin this, gusottertrout!
posted by kristi at 1:46 PM on April 11, 2021 [1 favorite]
Oh fantastic news! I just love their Palais de Tokyo rejuvenation - the great feeling you get walking through the spaces they opened up there, and the ultra modern industrial scale art it can accommodate.
A well deserved accolade for this thoroughly admirable duo.
posted by honey-barbara at 10:17 PM on April 11, 2021
A well deserved accolade for this thoroughly admirable duo.
posted by honey-barbara at 10:17 PM on April 11, 2021
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