France’s Mystery Building Sparks Global Attention
There are a number of ways thatarchitecturecan stand out, each differing in its context and location. While the ways in which a building can be attention grabbing are endless, one key rule is that it’s aesthetic strongly juxtaposes its built or natural environment.
This has certainly been the rule of thumb used to direct the design of a new French sporting facility ‘Antony’ by architectural firm Archi5. However, a contrast to its surrounds was not the only goal of the building’s architects, who aimed to create a building that holds both authority and mystery.
In working towards this goal, what the architects have created is essentially, a big black box. With stone paneling throughout thefaadethat is reminiscent of an old trick box, the building denotes intrigue and dominance, starkly contrasting the local architecture of the Parisian environment.
“What we sought to spark off was people’s curiosity and a thirst for mystery: a child’s fascination to know what is inside a big box,” say the architects. “This is what led us to design this huge, sombre monolith, which is a break from local architecture, with rows of pink houses or over complex public buildings”.
