Skyscraper
| gratte_ciel_description_francais.pdf |
The Skyscraper is located on the edge of an old abandoned quarry in Aix en Provence, France. In between sky and earth, it overlooks the old town yet it is firmly grounded in nature. On one side the wooden structure seems to belong to the quarry as an old rig that has traversed time and has become an integral part of the environmental context. Viewed from the other side, it stands in the forefront of the town and its architectural quality sparks a formal dialogue with the ancient cathedrals in the distance. From afar the hill merges with horizon line and the Skyscraper protrudes out, challenging the structures surrounding it. At dawn the hill turns dark and the structure appears as a black drawing on the fading sky. As improbable as it appears on the top of the ridge, it stands alone in the middle of the wilderness, unframed, untamed and open to the reality of its environment. The birds have adopted it as a prime perch offering a panoramic view of the area and have occasionally delivered bones and other hunting remains. The wild boars have dug around and under it looking for things to eat. The viewers were locals that had ended up there by chance or because they were curious. They were authentic and resembled the average person more than the art connoisseur. They found themselves in a familiar environment, which enabled them to be more confident in their questioning and artistic experience. Not knowing who had made the structure, they asked themselves pertinent questions and analyzed the structure intelligently because they had a true desire to understand the meaning of what they saw. Out of time, the Skyscraper still stands in place, calling to its surrounding nature and contributing to the rich context of the site.
