RECLAMACIÓN
An Architectural Portfolio
2017
proposal for the festival des
architectures vives
with Pablo Ruíz & Octavio Vázquez
The city of Montpellier, a city with heritage and important architecture. Walking through her streets one might be amazed by the atmosphere of the old city. Yet, once a year it becomes something more. Secret spaces open up, spaces which would otherwise be restricted. For a few days, they become everyone’s.
The Hôtel des Tresoriérs de la Bourse starts whispering to ramblers through a gloomy tunnel. At the end, a glimpse of sunlight, and something else. IT brings us down the tunnel, it wants attention. Just before the tunnel reveals the spectacular courtyard, the light on the oor only produces more interest. The light is slashed by shadows, no apparent source. Finally, the darkness is over, and IT calls us even closer, to the centre. At this moment the attention shifts, it is now vertical. Looking up, meshing colours turn attention to the source of IT, before we realise were we are; a secluded seat for the orchestra of Architecture and the City.
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The association CHAMP LIBRE, association law 1901, created in 1999, is devoted to the diffusion of architecture through cultural events where the general public, architects and professionals can meet, in Montpellier and in Languedoc-Roussillon. To do so, Champ Libre develops programs based on various meetings, cultural events, as well as publications projects.
Since 2006, the association Champ Libre devoted primarily to the realization of the Festival des Architectures Vives. this event aims to raise awareness of the general public in the broad of architecutre. It seeks not only to highlight the work of a younger generation of architects but also to discover unexpected urban territories.
Two goals are set. For one, open to visitors during the festival, diverse and iconic heritage sites. Moreover, thanks to the intervention of creative teams, present a speci c work in each place and reveal an intimate relationship between contemporary architecture and heritage site.
In Montpellier, in the heart of the historic city, is offered a course, a kind of architectural discovery in the heart of the city. This course connects hôtels particuliers and courtyards, which mostly private are not visible to visitors.
Leaving no physical traces, the festival seeks to make an impression and engage a global re ection on architecture and its development into an existing urban context; it goes into a primer and a preview of a planned change. The Festival des Architectures Vives offers an open and dynamic picture of the current architecture.
