Given a chance to realize the architect’s dream of creating his own utopian city from a blank slate, French architect Jean Balladur was inspired by lost civilizations of the past. His designs recall the architecture of grand Mayan ruins with some added flair from the 1960s, all in the form of a seaside resort village in southern France, La Grande Motte. Balladur devoted nearly 30 years to his life’s work, which today welcomes over 2 million tourists annually.
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Each summer, the French cities of Montpellier and La Grande Motte host Le Festival Des Architectures Vives (Festival of Lively Architecture). These twin festivals seek to raise awareness about architecture among the public, and to give needed exposure to the work of up-and-coming designers. In the process, they also draw attention to previously unknown places in the two cities—in Montpellier, many of the private courtyards in the city are opened to the public specifically for the festival. In La Grande Motte, the exhibition weaves its way through the city center, a site designated as “Heritage of the 20th Century” due to the prevalence of works designed by architect Jean Balladur. This year’s festivals featured a total of 18 temporary installations. Read more about the festivals, and view photos, after the break.
.jpg?1407117096 "Marion Moustey and Alex Arcens Onde Sensuelle- La Grande Motte. Image © photoarchitecture, Courtesy of Paul Kozlowski")
.jpg?1407116881 "NAS Architecture's Breath Box- La Grande Motte. Image © photoarchitecture, Courtesy of Paul Kozlowski")
.jpg?1407117154 "Lea Corba and Nicolas Baudru's Sensualite Invisible- La Grande Motte. Image © photoarchitecture, Courtesy of Paul Kozlowski")
.jpg?1407117129 "Fakir's Sens Dessous Sen Dessous- La Grande Motte. Image © photoarchitecture, Courtesy of Paul Kozlowski")
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