Montpellier

+ 40

• Architects

  MDR Architectes

• Location

  99 Avenue Jean Prat, 34070 Montpellier, France

• Lead Architects

  Sancie MATTE DEVAUX, Frédéric DEVAUX, Arnaud ROUSSEAU

• Area

  3386.0 m2

• Project Year

  2018

• Photographs

  Julien Thomazo

+ 24

• Architects

  Brengues Le Pavec architectes

• Location

  Montpellier, France

• Lead Architects

  Julien Brengues, Lionel Le Pavec

• Area

  205.0 m2

• Project Year

  2018

• Photographs

  Marie-Caroline Lucat

+ 25

• Architects

  Brengues Le Pavec architectes

• Location

  Montpellier, France

• Area

  280.0 m2

• Project Year

  2018

• Photographs

  rbrengues photo

+ 24

• Architects

  NAS architecture

• Location

  4 Rue Farges, 34000 Montpellier, France

• Architects in Charge

  Hadrien BALALUD DE SAINT JEAN, Guillaume GIRAUD, Johan LAURE

• Area

  1000.0 m2

• Project Year

  2017

+ 23

• Architects

  Brengues Le Pavec architectes

• Location

  Route de Lavérune, Montpellier, France

• Architects in Charge

  Julien Brengues, Lionel Le Pavec, Cléo Lévêque, Magali Richard

• Area

  260.0 m2

• Project Year

  2017

• Photographs

  RBrengues Photos

+ 30

• Architects

  A+Architecture

• Location

  220 Rue du Capitaine Pierre Pontal, 34000 Montpellier, France

• Area

  1574.0 m2

• Project Year

  2017

• Photographs

  Marie-Caroline Lucat

Have you ever felt yourself teetering on the edge of insanity? Or how about being this close to your tipping point? No? Well, it seems that architect Christophe Benichou has, and the result is a cubic small scale structure balancing upon the precipice of Pic-Saint-Loup.

Aptly named Tip-Box, the fictional project was originally conceived for a soon-to-be 30-year-old friend of Benichou’s. Perhaps realizing that presents should be restricted to more traditional boxes, the space is intended to serve as an outpost for contemplation and rest for hikers in the mountains of Montpellier.

+ 9

• Architects

  Jacques Ferrier architecture

• Location

  Montpellier, France

• Project Manager

  François Marquet

• Architect Partner

  A+ Architecture

• Area

  32000.0 sqm

• Project Year

  2015

• Photographs

  Luc Boegly

+ 21

+ 48

• Architects

  Archikubik

• Location

  Place Saint-Roch, 34000 Montpellier, France

• Architect in Charge

  Marc Chalamanch , Miquel Lacasta , Carmen Santana

• Area

  23680.0 sqm

• Project Year

  2015

• Photographs

  Adrià Goula

The south of France is known for its endless beaches, nineteenth century architecture, lush greenery, and monuments to its storied history. For nearly a decade, Le Festival des Architectures Vives (Festival of Lively Architecture) has been infusing contemporary architecture into the staid Southern French landscape through the creation of an array of artful temporary pavilions. Beginning in 2006 and 2013 respectively, the towns of Montpellier and La Grande Motte have played host to a series of structures designed to animate historical segments of the two cities. Founded with a mission to celebrate the seminal work of burgeoning architects, the festival aims to produce meaningful and interactive works designed to activate the historic centres of the two ageing cities.

Explore the bizarre and inspired installations of Le Festival des Architectures Vives after the break.

+ 16

Designed by URBAN AGENCY and BET Satge, Le Twist is set to be a series of 10 luxury apartments with a ground floor restaurant that opens onto a semi-public garden. Commissioned in 2013, the architects were asked to re-evaluate an existing proposal for Montpellier, France. By sliding and twisting each storey, the firm was able to "comply with and 'twist' French planning law," gaining an extra 40% of floor space.

FAKT, an up-and-coming studio based out of Berlin and Zurich, has created an architectural installation for the Festival des Architectures Vives, which uses perforated aluminum sheets to produce a cloudscape. Sponsored by metalworking companies Karl Dieringer and AMAG Austria Metall, the exhibition explores aluminum's material properties and its ability to create new forms.

+ 9

+ 12

• Architects

  NAS architecture

• Location

  Montpellier, France

• Architect in Charge

  Hadrien BALALUD DE SAINT JEAN, Guillaume GIRAUD, Johan LAURE

• Client

  Festival of Lively Architecture (FAV)

• Area

  30.0 sqm

• Project Year

  2015

+ 29

• Architects

  MDR Architectes

• Location

  Montpellier, France

• Architects in Charge

  Sancie Matte, Arnaud Rousseau, Frédéric Devaux

• Team Design

  Frédéric Ganichot, Géraldine Savelli

• Area

  2800.0 sqm

• Project Year

  2014

• Photographs

  Mathieu Ducros

+ 20

• Architects

  Cabinet-Cabinet Architectures

• Location

  Montpellier, France

• Area

  260.0 sqm

• Project Year

  2014

• Photographs

  Yoan Claveau de Lima

Paris-based architecture and engineering firm Marc Mimram has been appointed to design a new TGV station in Montpellier, France. To be completed in late 2017, the station is intended to serve up to 3.5 million passengers a year by 2030, connecting with the existing Perpignan to Barcelona line, ultimately reducing the travel time between Paris and Barcelona.

The station's striking roof structure is composed of five 8 metre wide pleated shells, made from a fibre reinforced, ultra high performance concrete (UHPC). The high performance concrete combined with the pleated form allows the shells to be just 5-6 centimetres thick, with glass panes embedded directly into the concrete during casting.