MARC FORNES / THEVERYMANY fabricates pleated amphitheater in france

MARC FORNES / THEVERYMANY fabricates pleated amphitheater in france
images courtesy of MARC FORNES / THEVERYMANY

near the lycée christian bourquin school in argelès-sur-mer, france, MARC FORNES / THEVERYMANY has sited an informal amphitheater for both visitors and students. ‘pleated inflation’ forms a playful dialogue between lightness and boldness, uniting structural performance and spatial experience. more than 990 overlapping aluminum shingles form an exterior skin characterized by tangential continuity and rigidity, adding to the studio’s body of work dealing with lightweight, self-supporting systems. the permanent installation immerses visitors in ornate shadows and geometries cast though the multiple porous structural pleats spanning overhead.

‘pleated inflation’ forms a playful dialogue between lightness and boldness

the design has been developed through structural form-finding, descriptive geometry, and stress flowdriven porosity. a 2D network of lines inflates and expands in the air, resulting in a voluminous space created with minimal, lightweight material. once inflated, the configuration is tessellated through a process of agent-based porosity, articulating a continuous ‘pleated’ exterior surface. each pleat lends structural depth, thinning the required profile of each panel.

each pleat lends structural depth, thinning the required profile of each panel

more than overlapping 990 aluminum shingles form an exterior skin

the installation immerses visitors in ornate shadows and geometries

the permanent work is sited near the lycée christian bourquin school in argelès-sur-mer, france

green, blue and pink hues fade into each other, forming a gradient that characterizes the installation skin

a voluminous space is created with minimal, lightweight material

the design is tessellated through a process of agent-based porosity

the design has been developed through form-finding, descriptive geometry, and stress flowdriven porosity

the installation serves as an informal amphitheater for both visitors and students

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project info:

location: lycée christian bourquin, argelessurmer, france
media: 3mm aluminum, thermolaquage
dimensions: 21’ h x 46’ w x 33′ d
commissioned by: region languedoc roussillon