Hôtel de Mirman 庭院临时设计丨法国蒙彼利埃丨KUMA & ELSA

Architect：KUMA & ELSA

Location：Montpellier, France; | ;

Project Year：2019

Category：Apartments

The life of a flower is short. This project expresses the fragility of a concentrated life from flowering to dispersal.

We temporarily redesign the courtyard of the Hôtel de Mirman, a private residence built around the 13th century now transformed into apartments, and designated as a historic building. It is located on the Marché aux Fleurs square, the flower market square.

In a narrow courtyard that frames the sky in the distance, eighteen lightweight units made of 2mm thick aluminum sheets are laid out together, as a forest. The tube is a vase that contains water and peony flowers, the bowl contains water and slate stones. 

The weight of the water and the slate stones situates the center of gravity in the bowl, at the lower part of the unit. Thus, all structures are self-supporting and their stability works as in a roly-poly toy.

The paved ground has slight undulations, and the centres of gravity of the modules are deviated. Each of them tilts at a unique and delicate angle. After a few days, petals start falling on the surface of the water. 

The hundreds of years of Hôtel de Mirman, and one week of flower’s life, together in the courtyard.

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