Vivants

16 April 2025

For over thirty years, we've been collaborating with architects on projects whose meaning is the public's encounter with works of art, live performance, teachers, science, books, films... and sometimes live animals.

For over thirty years, we’ve been collaborating with architects on projects whose meaning is the public’s encounter with works of art, live performance, teachers, science, books, films… and sometimes live animals.

Looking at the archives, it’s not a question of zoos (that’s a call) but mostly of marine animals, in aquariums.

One of the first was the penguin tank at the Parc des Oiseaux de Villards les Dombes (1998, Tectoniques agency), where you can discover both their terrestrial and aquatic life, their habitat and their swimming…

Photos : Parc des Oiseaux de Villards les Dombes, Tectoniques, 1998

This was followed by a series of competitions and studies that were never completed: for the Odysseum in Montpellier (2003, Atelier d’Architecture King Kong), designed as a Wilsonian opera house; the Centre de la Mer et du Développement Durable du Havre (2004, Agence AJN), a highly immersive project ahead of its time; the Aquarium in Paris (2004, Agence Rougerie); the Doha Explorer (2011, agency AJN) planned to accompany the Qatar National Museum; Atlantis 3000 in Las Vegas (2008, agency AJN) for the show; the Seaquarium in Grau du Roy (2018, agency Archiconcept) more poetic …

Photos : L’odysseum de Montpellier, Atelier d’Architecture King Kong, 2003 / Le centre de la mer et du développement durable du Havre, Ateliers Jean Nouvel, 2004 / Le Doha Explorer, Qatar National Museum, Ateliers Jean Nouvel, 2011 / Atlantis 3000 à Las Vegas, Ateliers Jean Nouvel, 2008 / Le Seaquarium au Grau du Roy, Archiconcept, 2018

And then there are Bruce Nauman’s 100 marvellous fish in the fountain at the Fondation Carmignac in Porquerolles (2016, atelier Barani, agence GMAA)… very much “alive”!