Craftmanship and Innovation: The Arab World Institute by Rebecca Davies

Craftsmanship and Innovation The Arab World Institute

Rebecca Davies 18110389

What were the key factors that led to the success of the Arab World Institute and its objective to welcome Arab culture into France in the 1980s?

Contents 01 02 03 04 05 06 07

The Introduction

01-04

The Cultural Context

05-14

The Building Context

15-22

The Leading Architect

23-28

The Design

29-48

The Results

49-58

The Appendix

59-74

Chapter 1 The Introduction

Figure 01: (Arab World Institute 1, 2019)

Figure 03: (Arab World Institute 3, 2014)

Figure 02: (Arab World Institute 2, 2019)

Intitut du Monde Arabe For an architecture student, the design of a building is arguably the principal feature responsible for capturing our attention and enticing us to visit. Alternatively, someone with a different perspective of the architectural process may be drawn in by a wide range of features. This essay intends to explore these factors and their influence in the particular case of the Arab World Institute in Paris; a project which saw great success in introducing French nationals to Arab culture and educating them in order to overcome prejudice. Erected in 1987 (Winstanley, 2011), following increasing Arab settlement in France due to post-war immigration to support declining businesses (Aljazeera, 2017), the Institute swiftly rose to become one of the most popular attractions in France. It was designed by a team of highly skilled architects and researchers, led by the well acclaimed French architect Jean Nouvel, and is praised as “one of Nouvel’s most influential designs’’ (Winstanley, 2011). Through an examination and comparison of the key components behind the project’s substantial success, ranging from the site context to the representation of cultural identity, this study will present and test the hypothesis that craftsmanship and innovation undeniably played the most fundamental role in making the Arab World Institute a triumph.

Chapter 2

The Cultural Context

Figure 04: 1980s France Collage (Author, 2021)

Figure 05: (Great Mosque of Paris, 2020)

1980s France In order to investigate the design and thought process that went into the creation of the Institute, it is first important to understand the contextual features of the time. The infamous ‘80s was a consequential period globally, with innovations like the first commercial mobile phone alongside significant events like the AIDs epidemic and the commencement of the Iran-Iraq war, seen in figure 04. In 1981, for the first time in 23 years, the French elected a socialist party and François Mitterrand became President (Knapp, 2019). Before this point, a significant cultural divide had long been brewing between the Arab world and the French, dating back decades due to their historical trading links. In 1926, the French government funded the construction of the Great Mosque of Paris (figure 05) as a gesture of friendship towards the predominantly Muslim Arab community. However, over time, this project proved unsuccessful as the divide and unrest continued to escalate. When Mitterand came to power, he recognised the danger of such instability and prioritised methods to eradicate prejudice and celebrate diversity in France (Institut du monde Arabe, 2017).

Figure 06: (Francois Mitterrand, 2020)

Les Grands Projet ‘Les Grands Projet: an overview’, written by Emile Biasini (1991), explores Mitterrand’s immense influence on French architecture during his time in office. Biasini’s work helps to shed a light on the key role Mitterrand, seen in Figure 06, played in the creation of the Arab World Institute and its remarkable success. Across the globe, countries feature statues, monuments, and infrastructure that proudly serve as a reminder of important historic events or significant national achievements - moments of great power and success which helped forge a nation’s identity. In France, such memorials are known as ‘Grand Travaux’, which translates to ‘Big Works’. Despite constructing a substantial number of these projects, over time, the impact of war and financial constraints saw these ‘Grand Travaux’ become non-essential to the government. However, under Mitterrand, they found new life. He recognised the considerable value of this long neglected style of architecture as an answer to post-colonial France’s desperate need for a revival of culture, and subsequently introduced an extensive construction proposal titled ‘Les Grands Projet’. These plans involved a programme of large-scale projects intended to renovate and revitalise France’s national heritage. Unfortunately for Mitterrand, his idea required a sizable budget, and, having been heavily weakened by the expense of war, the country did not find the scheme to be economically viable or a priority (Biasini, 1991). In his essay (1991), Biasini asserts that it was only Mitterrand’s drive and ambition that ultimately made the ‘Grands Projet’ possible, as he persevered and endeavoured to make the proposal financially plausible to gain support. The President discovered that the expense of past memorial projects had only amounted to 0.2 percent of the state budget, which matched the maximum proposed cost of the ‘Grands Projet’. Naturally, in the post-war era, this price was now a huge financial sacrifice; yet Mitterrand was able to sell the idea to the government based on the symbolism of national pride, power, and achievement which these designs promoted. News of the ‘Grands Projet’ swiftly spread and the plans gathered international attention, placing further pressure on the President to achieve success (Biasini, 1991).

Les Grands Projet Mitterrand’s socialist values arguably played a role in the choice of architects for this project, as he felt that France needed to become more accepting of the increasingly diverse contemporary world that surrounded them. He impartially selected architects from different backgrounds across the globe, providing them with a huge opportunity to work on such a large-scale programme. Moreover, each of his designs concentrated on improving France by dealing with a number of controversial issues, including the volatile prejudice towards Arab migrant communities (Biasini, 1991). The President’s programme consisted of twelve individual projects, seen on the adjacent page, beginning with the construction of the Museum of Science during his first term in office. Whilst this was a continuation of his predecessor’s original design, it provided the perfect beginning for his vision by fuelling publicity through restoring a site that had been left incomplete due to previous government failures. Similarly, the second project, the ‘Gare d’Orsay’, was another majorly successful revival and completion of an unfinished concept that was abandoned by previous presidencies. Following this, Mitterand moved on to the creation of the ‘Institut du Monde Arabe’ (the Arab World Institute), a unique, revolutionary infrastructure with no equivalent at the time. Whilst the ‘Grands Projet’ flourished thanks to other large-scale designs like the extensions to the Louvre and the Arche de La Defense, it is hardly surprising how quickly the Institute captured attention due to the unstable racial divide in France at the time (Biasini, 1991). Biasini’s essay ‘Les Grands Projet: an overview’ (1991) appropriately emphasises the significance and extent of Francois Mitterrand’s influence in the creation and success of the Arab World Institute; “Without Francois Mitterrand and his determination to follow his policy through, there would have been no Grands Projet” (Biasini, 1991). Whilst this is arguably an accurate judgement, the President’s impact was not the only factor responsible for the Institute’s success, as will be discussed later in this essay.

Figure 07: (Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie with Parc de la Villette, 2015)

Figure 08: (Gare d’orsay, 2020)

Figure 09: (Institut du Monde Arabe, 2017)

Figure 10: (Grande Arche de las Defense, n.d)

Figure 11: (Louvre Pyramid, 2017 )

Figure 12: (Le Ministere de l’Economie et des Finance, 2021)

Figure 13: (Opera Bastille, 2011)

Figure 14: (Bibliotheque Nationale de France, n.d. )

Figure 15: Arab World Map (Author 2021)

Figure 16: Immigration Rates in France (Author 2021)

Arab World “For the first time we start to get this idea of culture being the separating dividing line” Arun Kundnani (Aljazeera, 2017). In order to explain how the Institute was so successful despite being erected at a time when attitudes in France were so fiercely against the Arab community, this essay will draw upon knowledge of their background and culture. The Arab World consists of twenty-two countries across the Middle East and North Africa, see figure 15. It can also be defined as the regions where Arabic is the mode language. Whilst their community is religiously and ethnically diverse, Islam is the dominant faith. There are numerous misconstrued opinions about Arabic culture which first appeared when Arab communities began emigrating to Europe. This led to racial prejudice and discrimination, creating a cultural divide (pp.3-6, Federation of American Scientists, 2006). The next section explores the environment in which the Arab culture immigrated to France, the atmosphere this created and why French citizens rejected the integration. “Guest workers” (Aljazeera, 2017) were critical to sustaining the French economy post World War II. These workers were invited to Europe, particularly in France, from across the Arab world to help keep businesses afloat as war led to a depletion of young workers. The “movement of manpower” began in 1950 and accelerated exponentially throughout the following decades. To France, this was a quick, inexpensive and temporary solution. However, the programme and the act of importing workers on a low wage for national economic gain has the potential to be seen as exploitation (pp. 95, Rist, 1979). The government’s expectation was that the imported workers would return to their native countries when the economy improved. This was not the case. The immigrants brought their families over and settled in their new found country. Further complications came with the oil crash of 1973 where a steep increase of oil price led to another economic crisis and employment rates dropped (Aljazeera, 2017). Thousands of native citizens struggled to find work widening the cultural divide within the country. The Government brought in strict restrictions towards immigration to try and encourage the workers to return to their families instead of moving their families over – this failed and immigration rates, seen in figure 16, increased. Arab settlers had found their place in France and, as a result, made themselves visible and part of society. Unfortunately, due to widespread prejudice, life was not made easy for immigrants as better paid and more permanent jobs were given to French nationals (pp.3, Porter, 2012).

Chapter 3

The Building Context

Figure 17: (Arab World Institute 4, 2011)

The Arab Institute Out of this social unrest, the Arab communities throughout France yearned to be heard and understood as neighbours, not outsiders. To do this they needed a space for their culture to be taught and celebrated. They wanted to share their art, knowledge, beliefs and stories. On February 28th 1980, the concept of the Arab World Institute was born. The idea began as an organisation to be represented by members from the Arab World and soon developed into a building of significant value. Although Valéry Giscard d’Estaing initially founded the project, it was President François Mitterrand who amplified the scheme (Institut du monde Arabe, 2017).

The Location Mitterrand’s affection for the project can clearly be seen by the chosen location for the Arab World Institute. The President sourced a site that was as much of a statement as the concept itself, an uninhabited allotment owned by a local University which sat next to the beloved Seine River in the centre of the Latin Quarter of Paris. This site, located in figure 18, is not just one of beauty, with views out over Saint-Louis island and the Notre Dame Cathedral, it also holds historical value to France from what stood before: the Saint-Bernard gate, the Saint-Victor Abbey and the Halle aux vins, translating to the Paris wine market (Institut du monde Arabe, 2017). His choice of site within the 5th Arrondissement, a place of importance to Parisians, is surrounded by two distinguished universities which host the Faculty of Science, Literature and Humanities, two large architectural constitutions (Traub, 2019).

Figure 18: Site Map (Author, 2021)

Figure 19: Site Location (Author, 2021)

Figure 20: Key Landmarks (Author, 2021)

The Seine River The Latin Quarter The 5th Arrondissement

The Location The Seine River The world renowned Seine River dissects Paris into two distinctive sides. The city’s love story with the watercourse began in the third century BCE when a Celtic tribe titled ‘the Parisii’ settled on a small belt of land between the banks. The land is now identified as the Ile de La Cité, translating to ‘city island’, and continues to capture Parisian hearts to this day (Traub, 2019). With the historic value and the city’s relationship to the river, it is clear to see how Mitterand choosing a site with the river in view could bring a nation’s attention to the Arab World Institute. The Latin Quarter The Latin Quarter is another one of the many beauty spots in Paris with its public gardens, courtyards and markets. The quarter is steeped in history and has produced artists, philosophers and writers through its Sorbonne University making it ‘Paris’ traditional centre of great thinking’ (Traub, 2020). Again, the value of history states this sector as a place of importance within the city; the Arab World Institute being a place to educate people on the Arabic culture and to be a landmark monument in history makes the Latin Quarter a great setting to tell stories for future generations (Traub, 2020). The 5th Arrondissement The Latin Quarter is the nucleus of the 5th Arrondissement, a district, defined in figure 20, that encompasses key tourist attractions such as the Great Mosque of Paris and the Pantheon. Over the centuries, it has been a place of many academic achievements and the core for cultural memory. It is rich in culture and heritage so introducing a new inexperienced way of life to the neighbourhood, such as the Arabic culture, there is potential to cause upset, or harmony (LODGIS, 2017).

Chapter 4

The Leading Architect

Figure 21: (Jean Nouvel, 2020)

Jean Nouvel With the site confirmed, a competition was curated to seek out the right designers for the challenge. Out of the many entries, it was Jean Nouvel (figure 21), with the help of: Pierre Soria, Gilbert Lezènes, Architecture Studio and Zyad Zaidan, who was successful (Institut du Monde Arabe, 2020). Combining these creative minds together brought Paris the Arab World Institute that we know today. As proof of the design’s success, in the following years after the inauguration in 1987, the project won both the Equerre d’Argent Prize (1988) and the Aga Khan Award (1989). Jean Nouvel was accustomed to the French architectural vernacular as he was born in Fumel, a city located in the south-west of France and studied in the capital. Nouvel graduated from the national fine art school, Beaux-Arts de Paris, in 1972 and then spent fourteen years in the field before taking on the Arab World Institute. This project can be considered early in the timeline of the architect’s career, where he was trying to establish his name within architecture. It wasn’t until 1994 that the Frenchman had formed his practice, Ateliers Jean Nouvel (pp. 97, Morgan and Ruault, 1999). Post-Arab World Institute, in the early 21st century, Jean Nouvel had earned himself a name in “the Pantheon of architectural superstars” for his audacious designs (Kuiper, 2020). The essay titled ‘Jean Nouvel (1945- )’ written by Andrew Ayers gives an insight into Nouvel’s life and how he came to achieve great accomplishments within the discipline. This will aid the investigation and help to determine whether Jean Nouvel, as the leading architect on the project, was the key attribute to the Arab World Institute’s success.

Jean Nouvel (1945-) After graduating, Jean Nouvel was in pursuit of prestige projects to show off his abilities and have the budget to do so. His ambitions later began to ruin his growing reputation as he built a history of financial failure and even came to declare bankruptcy in 1994. This was caused by people’s inability to say no to him and his own poor self control, however to some this just proved his passion for architecture. This was before the Arab World Institute project and can be declared as irrelevant to this investigation.Yet it still gives an insight into the architect’s desires and aspirations to design a building that this project deserves. Looking further into his career, he later became acquainted with names such as Frank Ghery and Mies Van Der Rohe, both just as celebrated as Nouvel. Although they were no influence to him architecturally, Nouvel was willing to sacrifice these relationships in order to win projects. Proving that he lived and worked for the architecture and showing his determination that he carried throughout his career. From this it is seen that Nouvel would have put everything into the Arab World Institute design and, conceivably, how his presence in the project led to winning the competition for his design to be selected. His only noticeable project before this was Nemausus housing, Nimes, which also finished construction in 1987. His first solo competition entry wasn’t until 1971 which indicates Jean Nouvel was only at the beginning of his prestigious career when he took on the design for the Arab World Institute. (Ayers, 2018).

Looking towards his approach to the Arab World Institute, the text gives insight into how Nouvel’s style and personal manifesto impacts the design. He began his education with a passion for fine art which he explored and developed, despite this, his parents persuaded the young man to pursue architecture for they saw this as a more substantial career. Nonetheless, the early experience with art, and scenography did not dissipate as it continued to permeate through his designs and is vibrant within the institute’s details. “The future of architecture is no longer architectural” is a quote by the man himself that confirms he did not look to build with tectonics, engineering or physics - how the building stood was not a concern - but to build for aesthetics. His interest focused on the context, image and poetic representation, using art, culture, literature and politics for precedent because to Nouvel, design should not be confined to the site. This is paramount to designing the Arab World Institute, a building set to be full of culture and representation to face a political tension of the time. To Nouvel, design is a cinema which tells the story of what the building means and should emote joy such as a film would. The creation of the Arab World Institute’s elaborate facade was the architect’s experiment with signs and imitations to let the stage be set. The text states that Jean Nouvel’s collaborative winning of the competition was due to him being “in the right place at the right time” however after analysing his persona, characteristics and design perspectives it makes sense for him to be the right person for the project (Ayers, 2018). Furthermore, this text highlights how Jean Nouvel was a key principle to the success of the Arab World Institute - not through fame as this was early in his career but through his drive for design and his architectural perspectives.

Chapter 5 The Architecture

Figure 22: Building Responding to Site (Author, 2021) Figure Information from: (Google Images, 2021)

Figure 23: Inside AWI During the Day

Figure 24: Inside AWI During the Night

The Design President Mitterand had brought a significant amount of attention to this project, through financing and the choice location, so there was a high expectation for the architecture to be just as outstanding - disappointment was not an option when the building’s objective was so important to the Arab community. The first notable detail of the design is the transparency as this can be interpreted to be a symbolic window into the Arab World, which the building aims to be. Traditionally architecture is described by solids and voids but in this design, the spaces are formed by the light and shadow. The architects sourced this idea through exploring Arabian architecture. Much of the design was inspired by the culture and its roots to be a true representation and insight. The design of the building can be described in two parallel wings, separated by layered terraces and connected at the rear of the building. One is curved to reflect the course of the Seine, see figure 22, and in the peak of daylight reflects the image of the river too, showing it responds to the direct context in plan and elevation (Institut du monde Arabe, 2017). This juxtaposes the linear form of its neighbour wing that is defined by shape through the structure and facade. Although the curtain glass facade seems simple, this is deceptive as the design is intricate with each design decision having a purpose. In the day it reflects the surroundings (figure 23), whereas when night falls the glass no longer hides the internal events and lighting floods the spaces (figure 24). Also during the night scene, the ramp that spirals around the cylindrical form illuminates the library tower. Standing six-storeys tall within the site, it draws attention to its existence within the Latin Quarter, highlighting the relationship of the building to the centre of French education. This transparent effect continues with glass elevators which allow visitors to see the buildings activities as they move through the floors, and the exposed aluminium frame (Michler, 2010). The aluminium structure that holds the curtain walling compliments its neighbouring buildings as the horizontal design is comparable to the brick form of the historical buildings in the Latin Quarter and when the sun is bright, these brick forms reflect on the glass facade (Institut du monde Arabe, 2017).

Orthographic Drawings

0 Floor Plan 1:500

Figure 25: (Author, 2021)

1 Floor Plan 1:500

Figure 26: (Author, 2021)

Figure Information from: (Bibliocad, 2020) 33

20m

-1 Floor Plan 1:500 Figure 27: (Author, 2021)

Longitudinal Section 1:500 Figure 28: (Author, 2021)

The Interior When entering the building, visitors experience a striking transition between the familiar exterior to the modern interior. The threshold of a tall volume, only consisting of stairs and the transparent-themed elevators, imposes an alien feeling of being placed in the unexplored. Leading into the atrium there is a reception either side, an integrated bookshop and, in the distance, the temporary exhibition space. Jean Nouvel wanted to be respectful of the historic architecture the site is surrounded by, which limited his design ambitions, but without doing it the building could have faced rejection. The ceiling heights of rooms caused the biggest challenge as the building height was restricted due to the site context. In order to ensure the institute consists of the facilities required to provide visitors with a complete experience, most floors have low ceilings. Spaces that demand more height, such as the auditorium, plaza and temporary galleries became double height. The nine floors consist of: meeting rooms, study areas, the museum dedicated to Arabic art and culture, a research library, a restaurant and a terrace that overlooks Notre Dame (pp. 8, Hanser, 2005).

Circulation

20m

Figure 29: Circulation Diagram (Author, 2021)

Figure 30: (Arab World Institute Materiality, 2019)

Figure 31: (Parisian Stone, n.d.)

Figure 32: Floating Exhibition Cases (Author, 2021)

A Rough Guide to Paris “A Rough Guide to Paris” is a useful source of information if you are venturing into the capital city and need inspiration. The book covers the many hot spots paired with an overview about the destinations. In the text on the Arab World Institute, information highlighted can be assumed as selling factors for the building and key points that tourists should be aware of or, if written with bias, what the authors, Ruth Blackmore and Samantha Cook, believe readers need to know. The exert on the Arab World Institute begins by praising the architecture through a comparison to the local Jussieu university campus. The text shows the university complex in a negative view using lexis such as “uncompromising”, “loathed” and “brutal” and that it “hides” the institute building which juxtaposes the campus with its “successful” architecture. The next focus was on the architects and Jean Nouvel’s achievements, however, as discovered earlier in the essay, Nouvel’s status could not have impacted the Arab World Institute’s success. The main focal point of the text was on the elements of the building’s design, beginning with the materiality to highlight the contrast of the transparent metal and glass compared to the traditional romantic Parisian stone structures within which it sits, displayed by figures 30 and 31, and described the design to be “a radical piece of architectural engineering”. When describing the building facade, the authors use the verb “mimicking” which suggests they feel that the inspiration taken from the Mashrabiya was more of a copy rather than innovation. In addition to this, they use “tangle” to describe the circulation, implying that it is hard to navigate, continuing on to say that the routes are draining rather than inspirational. Although they still believe the design to be “groundbreaking”, further criticism is directed towards the museum, stating that it only “aims” to translate the complexity within Arab culture and not that it achieves this. The museum is shown appreciation for its contents but not for how they are represented, for the authors believe the prehistoric items on display deserve more than the glass containers that appear to float, see figure 32, with information inscribed on the glass making it hard to read (Blackmore and Cook, 2003). From a design perspective this fits with the transparency that Jean Nouvel incorporated within the design, unfortunately in this case practicality does not seem to have taken priority. It seems that the saviours of this building are the views of Paris from the terrace, the library used by scholars of the local universities and the leading Arab artists involved with the exhibitions and concerts (Blackmore and Cook, 2003).

Figure 33: (Lighting in AWI, 2016)

The Facade The reason for this essay’s hypothesis is derived from the technology behind the facade of the building. It contains a contemporary sensorial system that allows parts of the facade to move to control the light penetration into the building throughout the day. Technology has been an integral part of history and is shaping our future and advancements continue to impress. Relating back to the hypothesis, a moving facade in the 1980’s, taking into consideration of what was previously possible, seems a great achievement for both architecture and technology and certainly led to the Arab World Institute receiving national attention. The southern elevation consists of 25,000 geometric diaphragms that control the light penetrating the building, which can be seen in figure 33. The intricate and contemporary innovation of these computer-controlled geometries is the inspiration for the essay hypothesis, exploring whether craftsmanship is the key principle to the success of the building. As described earlier in the essay, the design of the diaphragms sculpt the light and shadows. This effect in the hall consisting of 125 giant pillars causes what is an empty space to become habited therefore not only is the concept intelligent for the aesthetics but also how it designs atmospheres internally (Institut du monde Arabe, 2017).

The Culture Jean Nouvel’s design of the southern facade holds cultural identity for the Arab world. Close up it is clear that it’s design is an impression of a Mashrabiya which is an Arabic oriel window with intricate Islamic patterns. The screen was traditionally used to protect people in the middle east from the sun or, when placed facing the street, for discretion whilst allowing cool air to funnel into the building. Now these are mainly used as cultural ornaments but still represent the culture and have technical value. Nouvel found another benefit in the latticework, using it as a facade also offers views outside whilst remaining unseen due to the effects of lighting being strong outside whereas behind the screen is dark. The born purpose of the mashrabiyas is amplified in this design as craftsmen worked to create Nouvel’s vision of turning the traditional mashrabiya into a light-sensitive brise soleil and assembled to create the south facing facade. The craftsmen also developed their skills in order to build the metallic diaphragms without requiring nails for a minimalistic design (Schielke, 2014).

Figure 34: (Traditional Mashrabiya, n.d.)

Figure 35: (Arab World Institute Mashrabiya, n.d.)

Figure 36: (Facade Shutter Stages, 2012)

2900mm 2100mm

2900mm

2100mm

Figure 37: Detail Drawing of AWI Mashrabiya (Author, 2021)

The Technology The traditional Mashrabiya were used primarily for sunlight protection, with decoration as the secondary aspect. Jean Nouvel and the team of designers chose to explore this function for the southern facade of the Arab World Institute by embedding photosensitive technology that regulates the daylight allowed into the building based on solar patterns (Schielke, 2014). The cooling and shading effects benefit the interior comfort and the shadows, shaped by the geometric apertures, create an experience which is fundamental to a building that wants to inspire. The technologically advanced wall is decorated with metallic diaphragms which have photoelectric cells that allow them to appropriately contract, when exposed to direct sunlight, and dilate to control the daylight penetrating into the building creating an ever-moving facade (Michler, 2010). The facade of 240 openings, controlled by photovoltaic sensors, is made up of 113 photosensitive panels, approximately 25,000 diaphragms and 16,000 kinetic parts (pp. 524, McKiernan, 2013). This allows it to achieve up to eighteen motions each day (Institut du monde Arabe, 2017). The light effect created even inspired the design for the Institute’s doors which are reminiscent of the culture’s mosaics and links back to the Arab World through every detail within the building (pp. 525, McKiernan, 2013).

2900mm 5100mm Figure 38: Change in Heights 1:100 (Author, 2021)

The Architecture of Paris Andrew Ayers’ “The Architecture of Paris” celebrates some of the city’s most valuable structures, including a piece on the Arab World Institute. The author’s interpretation of the building is interesting as he shares his thoughts as to what he believes was key to the design’s success. Before you immerse yourself into the building, you are welcomed with an open plaza - Ayers described this as “blank”, expressing that he found the landscaping of the site to not match up to the detail of the building. The author also found flaws in what was assumed to be the most successful part of the design: the facade. On the glazed curtain wall there are etchings of historic Parisian buildings aimed to pay homage to the traditional architecture of the city. However, Ayers found this to be “an absurd attempt” of making the building relate to its site. Nouvel has proved he can incorporate culture into design with the use of the Mashrabiya, but it is clear that this design idea does seem less studied than the rest of the building especially as the etchings are hard to read when walking by. The criticism he had for the functional facade was the cost of construction, due to the need for specially skilled craftsmen and the foreseeable costs of maintenance, as the apertures often get stuck (pp. 118, Ayers, 2004). Another feature the author felt required more attention is the courtyard. Its intended purpose was another attempt at bringing in culture. It was to embody the essence of inside Arabian architecture but, to Ayers, the space didn’t have the same beauty and emotion as he expected (pp. 117, Ayers, 2004). In addition to this criticism, Nouvel’s attempt to deal with the height restrictions did not impress the author of this book either. Instead of working with the limitation, he felt Nouvel had just taken his design and squashed his original design by reducing ceiling heights. He was only thankful that there are double height spaces, see figure 38, to relieve the claustrophobia. Initially looking at this situation it was believed that Nouvel had no option for he had to fit in all the functions, however audience comfort is also important and, to Ayers, the architect did not create that. Through all this criticism of the building, Andrew Ayers did find something he enjoyed and that was the control of light to create atmosphere inside empty rooms. He labelled it as the “key motif” and still found the building to be of great architectural success, stating that the Arab World Institute brought back France’s reputation in architecture (pp. 118, Ayers, 2004).

Creative Process

Volume

Geometry

Structural Skin

Identity Figure 39: Key Principles of Architecture in AWI (Author, 2021)

Skin + Bones The review written by Ari Seligmann of Brooke Hodge’s exhibition called “Skin and Bones” briefly mentions the institute as a detail of the architecture displayed within the exhibition. The focus of the exhibition is on links between fashion and architecture which is unrelated to the building in question, however, this ideology can be interpreted between the human relationship with the building through design and scale. The exhibition is also intended to explore deconstruction in architecture through the 1980s, to contemporary advances through digital design thus relating to the high-tech facade of the Arab World Institute. Seligmann notes that more information on the building is available elsewhere yet you can find knowledge within the expression of the presentation of the innovation of the design. The display on the building aims to celebrate the craftsmanship of the architecture and was chosen based on a few key principles: identity, geometry, creative process, structural skins and volume, - these can be seen in the Arab World Institute through figure 39. In her review, Seligmann initially saw this as a room divider and not as a representation of identity, which leads to the suggestion that if this piece of architecture cannot make emotion on its own then it could not be the prime reason to the building’s success (pp. 106-107, Seligmann, 2007). It also implies that the cultural relation to this piece is not strong enough to show its identity, a point also made by Andrew Ayers.

Chapter 6 The Results

Analysis This essay has unearthed the levels that built up to the successful Arab World Institute with the aim to discover the significance of its architecture. Firstly, the ‘Grands Projet’, set up by Francois Mitterrand, proved very significant and brought a lot of positive attention, but the Arab World Institute was an early project meaning the programme hadn’t fully developed itself as a plan enough for it to be the key principle. Another move from the President at the time, was the location of the institute and the importance of this proved greater than anticipated. The location holds a strong connection to Paris through history and academia, ergo giving the building a sense of place without it having to build one for itself. The next principle analysed was the leading architect, Jean Nouvel. It is believed that it was luck that Nouvel was appointed and that he was just in the right place at the right time, however it was the desire to make a name for himself and his determination that got him appointed. Nouvel brought innovation and craft to the structure and his talent is not in question. However, Nouvel’s reputation does not appear to be the reason for the building’s success, as it was an early project in his successful career. So his status was not at the stage where it would bring people to visit his architecture at this point. On the other hand, the architect is responsible for the design - one that is clever and allows the building to sit within Paris, with power and presence. The attention to detail and research to ensure the design is an appropriate host for a museum, with a culture relying on its success. The integration of culture in the facade is very important to the Arab community, as it allows France to see the beauty in the culture before entering the building. The addition of innovative technology married with the skill of talented craftsmen to create a moving facade was advanced for the period. The facade also shapes the interior spaces, creating atmosphere and imitation that creates an experience for visitors.

The Survey After researching into what made the building successful in 1980s France, there was a curiosity as to whether these principles researched would be similar in today’s world. To get a short insight into this, an online survey was devised of eight questions, shown on the following pages, believed to gain a strong comprehension and received a total of forty responses. The first questions were written to understand the responder’s relationship to Paris and the Arab World Institute. The results from the third question showed that 15 out of the 24 people who had been to Paris visited for the tourist attractions. This suggests that the location of the institute, being amongst some of the city’s most loved destinations, is an asset to the building as people are already encouraged to visit the area. It also means that the architecture doesn’t have to advertise itself from afar. When asked why the responder would choose to visit the building, the results weighted towards their enjoyment of museums. A building would presumably need a great status to attract an audience to a museum in an area of little interest, therefore it can be deduced that the location again comes as a key factor to a building’s success. The hypothesis is that the innovation of the facade is the prime reason for the success, hence for questions from five through eight. The results proved that the majority of respondents agreed that a functional facade in the 1980s seems advanced, however the results were not heavily in favour of this being the prime reason to visit if they were present in that decade. Although this is a hypothetical question it should not be used as fact, the result does not inform the investigation. The survey results were not as informative as initially expected. However, it did highlight how the location has impacted the success of the Arab World Institute and what interests would encourage the public to visit the museum.

1. Have you visited Paris before?

2. If yes, what attracted you to visit Paris?

3. Have you heard of the Arab Institute before?

4. Why would you choose to visit the Arab Institute?

5. What part of the architecture do you find most interesting?

6. Did you know the facade was designed to move to control the light entering the building?

7. Do you think the moving facade was advanced for 1980s technology?

8. What would attract you to the Arab Institute in the late 80s?

Figure 40: The Survey Results (Author, 2021)

Figure 41: Sketch of AWI (Author, 2021)

Deduction The hypothesis was that the innovation in the facade was the key principle in the success of the building. Instead it proved that the innovation was the key principle to the success of the design of the building that had a lot of ‘intention’. But the facade wasn’t key in a way that was anticipated. Initially it seemed that its importance came from the exterior when in fact it was the effects of the craft on the interior spaces that made the building special.

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Chapter 7 The Appendix

Group Presentation Rebecca Davies, Byron Gregory, Joshua Veale, Chantelle Kimberley, Piotr Hermaniuk

CRAFTSMANSHIP AND INNOVATION Group 5A Byron Gregory, Chantelle Kimberley, Joshua Veale, Piotr Hermaniuk, Rebecca Davies

C O N T E N T S

Hypothesis About Context - The Building Context - Architectural Context - Social and Political Theoretical Intentions Facade Approaches and Challenges Conclusion Research Methods/ Reflection Individual Explorations References Figures

H Y P O T H E S I S

A B

The Question

How does the innovative craftmanship of the Arab Institute’s facade bridge cultures through its design?

Why we chose the question: • The strong links of the facade back to the arabic culture • The reasons it was all built and how the facade plays a key part • The innovative technologies and unique craftsmanship used to create the facade

Figure 1: (IMA,2020)

The Arab Institute

The Arab World Institute was designed to build secure cultural ties while educating France and Europe. The space is cross-discipline and is perfect for developing cultural projects, collaborations, creators and thinkers from the Arab world. (IMA,2020)

Figure 2: (IMA,2020)

O U T 63

Figure 3: (IMA,2020)

Jean Nouvel, Pierre Soria, Gilbert Lezènes and Architecture Studio and consulting architect Zyad Zaidan) were selected for this project through their competition entries.Their design won the Equerre d’Argent Prize in 1988, and the Aga Khan Award the following year. (IMA, 2020)

Figure 4: (IMA,2020)

Figure 5: (IMA,2020)

The brand behind the building soon became a respected institution in France, and gave a new awareness to Arab culture in Europe. AWI was elected European cultural brand of the year ‘14. The ceremony was held in Berlin on October 30, 2014 so gathered more European limelight. (IMA, 2020)

Figure 6: (IMA,2020)

Figure 7: (IMA,2020)

C O N T E X T

D E S I G N

The Building Surface area: 26,900 sq. meters Land area: 7,250 sq. meters Length: 77 meters Width: 35 meters Height: 32 meters Parisian Regulations restricted building height South façade: 2000 sq. meters (IMA, 2020)

Figure 14: Data From:(Google Maps, 2020)

The Arab World Institute is situated within the 5th Arrondissement region in central Paris. Located on the banks of the Seine River, the Arab World Instsitute stands where the historical landmarks, Saint-Bernard Gate and Saint-Victor Abbey, were once formely built. Within the heart of the Latin Quarter, the building forms a bond between Western and Estern cultures and sits alongside Paris’ most influential culture-rich monuments including the Pantheon and the Arènes de Lutèce. (IMA, 2020)

Figure 15: Data From:(Google Earth, 2020)

Orthographics

Figure 8: (Bibliocad, 2020)

Figure 9: (Bibliocad, 2020)

Figure 10: (Bibliocad, 2020)

D E S I G N

D E S I G N 65

Plans Functions: • • • • • • • •

Museum & exhibitions Library Learn Arabic Guided visits Family workshops Performances Cinema Literature & poetry

Events and Exhibitions: • • • • • • • • • • •

Debates Colloquia Seminars Conferences Dance shows Concerts Films Books Meetings Language Culture courses

(IMA, 2020)

Figure 11: (Bibliocad, 2020)

Figure 12: (Bibliocad, 2020)

D E S I G N

C O N T E X T

Figure 13: (Bibliocad, 2020)

Architectural Context

Figure 16: Data From:(Google Earth, 2020)

C O N T E X T

C O N T E X T 67

Architectural Context

Figure 17: (Stewart, 2018)

Figure 18: (Simply 80s, n.d.)

Brutalism was coming to the end of its age in the 1980s, particularly in civic building projects.

Romanticism marked buildings, fashion and music in the 1980s. The attitude behind this style was evolution not revolution as they looked to improve on the past and not change it. (Simply 80s, n.d.)

(Architecture & Design, 2019)

Figuration Libre movement is an art movement which is related to the French Bad Painting and the Neo-expressionism seen in Europe and America. This term was first spoken of by Ben Vautier and Fluxus and can be know as ‘free art’. In 1981, the Figuration Libre group was formed. The founders being: Robert Combas, Francois Boisrond, Herve Di Rosa and Remi Blanchard. (Kunzt

Figure 19: (Vntg, 2020)

1980s Architecture was dominated by the postmodernism movement.Post-Modern architecture emerged in the 1970s as a critical reaction to Modernism. In Britain it was closely associated with the economic boom of the 1980s. (Historic England, 2018)

Gallery, 2020) Figure 20: (The Artists, 2018)

Social and Political Context In the news: The IranIraq war began in September, 1980 (Pearson, 2016)

AIDs Epidemic (Knapp, 2019)

Liberal arts programs expanded in French schools. (Knapp, 2019)

In the news: John Lennon was shot and killed (Pearson, 2016) First commercial cell phone in ‘84 (Gibson, 2018) Socialist Party in Power, last in power in France in 1958. (Knapp, 2019)

France abolished the death penalty in ‘81 (Aldridge, 2017)

The 1980s & France Left-wing President François Mitterand elected into the French office. (Knapp, 2019)

Rubik’s Cube was 22.5 franc (£2.10) (Pound Stirling Live, 2020)

Right-wing Jacques Chirac became prime minister, creating a “co-habitation”. (BBC News, 2019) 1981 Riots in French housing estates against Arab immigration. (Fabien Jobard, 2009)

C O N T E X T

Social and Political Context Arab World Unemployment Rates in 1980 30

France Unemployment Rates

25 8

20 15

6 %

5 0

Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Syria and Tunisia

Libya, Sudan and Yemen

Mauritania and Somalia

1970-75

1976-80

Figure 21: Data From: (Ben Jelili, 2000)

1981-85

1986-90

Figure 22: Data From:(Porter, 2012)

France Population in 1980

• High unemployment in the Arab World after the second world war and during the Iran-Iraq war. (BBC News, 2008) • Immigrate to the industrial France. (Seljuq, n.d) • France government accepted this to save their economy • Racism meant the immigrants struggled to find permanent jobs; any jobs they did find were low wage. (WikiArquitectura. 2020) • Unemployment rates in France increased (Porter, 2012) • Demographics in France, i.e.censuses, did not consider ethnicity populations. (Kertzer and Arel, 2002) • About 25% of the total population of central Paris, and 14% of the metropolitan region ( mainland France, Corsica, and islands) were immigrants. (Colliers Encyclopedia, 1987). • The majority of immigrants travelled from Algeria (Colliers Encyclopedia, 1987).

60000000 50000000 40000000 30000000 20000000 10000000 0

Male Female Population Figure :23 Data From: (Country Economy, 2018)

Social and Political Context What were they trying to resolve and why? A Map of the Arab World

Arab Countries: Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen (Porter, 2012)

Figure 24: Data From:(Map Collection 2012)

Graph showing the effects of events on Oil Cost

100 90 80 USD$ 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 1970

Iran - Iraq War Iranian Revolution Oil Price Crash Arab - Israeli War

1975

1980

Figure 25: Data From: (BBC News, 2008)

1985

• Oil failure in Arab countries caused unemployment (Ben Jelili, 2000) • High levels of immigation • French government welcomed immigrants to rebuild economy • Native Citizens discrimating against immigrants • Government had to react to bring peace • Idea of a place to learn and build community to make prove the Arab culture is welcome (WikiArquitectura. 2020) • The Arab Institute had to be a large scale project to prove the point (IMA, 2017)

1926 France became aware of lack of Arab representation

1980 Will to build a bridge between France and the Arab culture

1981 Riots in French housing estates against Arab immigration.

1981 - Fall President François Mitterrand increased funding and therefore scale of project, Seine river was chosen as the location.

1981 The Arab Institute was completed in 1987

T H E O R Y

T H E O R Y 69

Theoretical Intension Behind The Design

Jean Nouvel [1945] French architect known mainly known for his experimental designs, ideas and thought processes. 2008 Pritzker Architecture Prize Nouvel first gained a global audience in 1987 when the Institute of the Arab institute was completed.

Nouvel designs to “create a visual landscape”

Figure 26: (National Museum Of Qatar, 2020)

“There’s a mixture of things that are extraordinary, things that are experiments, things that don’t come off aesthetically” (Kathleen Kuiper,2016) Figure 27: (Wikipedia contributors, 2020)

Theoretical Intension Behind The Design

“One of the main reasons behind the construction of this institute was to create a destination devoted to the relationship of the Arab culture with France” (Tim Winstanley,1987)

Two Key Main Focus Points Behind The Theoretical Intention of the Architect 1. Arabian influence combining cultural elements [mashrabiya] 2. Environmental Factors of using an operational facade

Figure 28: (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2020)

Nouvel was able to synthesize traditional Arabic architectural elements into a modern design that is evocative of the architecture of the Middle East. The facade system has numerous light sensitive diaphragms that control the amount of light that is let into the building. There are various phases in which the lenses start to reveal shifting geometric pattern as both light and void. Philosophy, Jean Nouvel aimed to design a building that was symbolic of Arabian culture, that played with light and shadow in a unique way. The light gives a more in-depth sense of place and heightens the overall experience of the building dramatically, much like Jean Nouvel’s Louvre Abu Dhabi.

Figure 29: (Tim Winstanley, 2020)

T H E O R Y

F A C A D E

Theoretical Intension Behind The Design “In Islamic architecture, light plays an influential role in designing the interiors of mosques and other buildings. According to the Quran, light represents the sanctity of God and it was one of God’s very first creations, so natural light is a requisite element in Islamic architecture” (Artzinium Cutting Edge Design, 2015)

Figure 30: (Tim Winstanley, 2020)

Figure 31: (Tim Winstanley, 2020)

Concept of how traditional mashrabiyas were traditionally used throughout the middle east to protect people from sunlight. Now it is used ornamentally for cultural identity and for passive cooling. The ancient mashrabiya merges cultural, visual and technical aspects. The window screen is often found towards the street to enable discretion and allow cool air to pass through the facade. The latticework offers the chance to see the environment, but to stay unseen - thanks to the high luminous intensity outside and the fine dark screen on the inside. Craftsmen have developed special skills to assemble the screens without using nails - a minimalistic and delicate approach, which modern high-tech mashrabiyas often leave behind. The structure might appear as an Arabic decoration, but its functions derive from filtering the daylight dynamically, depending on the specific weather situation.

AJN_Doha Tower Figure 32: (Tim Winstanley, 2020)

Al Bahr Towers Mashrabiya Figure 33: (Tim Winstanley, 2020)

Behind the Facade

Figure 34: (Schielke, T. 2014)

Shanashil (mashrabiya) are traditional, decorative window elements that have been found throughout Islamic architecture for centuries. (Faeq, O. 2017) The main purpose is to reduce heat penetration from direct sunlight in order to maintain the cool interior atmosphere of a building, but has also formed part of the Arab culture through it’s identity and heritage. (IMA, 2020)

Figure 35: Data From (IMA, 2020)

Figure 36: (IMA, 2020)

Figure 37: (IMA, 2020)

T E C H N O L O G Y

T O C O N C L U D E 71

Approaches and Challenges

Figure 39: (IMA, 2020)

Figure 38: (IMA, 2020)

Figure 40: (IMA, 2020)

• Arabic geometry with its 240 mashrabiyas both industrial and ornamental acts as a screen instead of a wall. • ‘mashrabiyas are as delicate as clockwork, and as sophisticated as a mosaic.’ (IMA, 2020) • Over time unfortunately the visually stunning but overly engineered mashrabiyas no longer work as they once did.

Conclusion

How does the innovative craftmanship of the Arab Institute’s facade bridge cultures through its design?

• It was built to create peace in France between the natives and the Arab immigrants. • Found a level of complexity and innovation that many might not have known was part of Arabic culture.

Figure 41: (Winstanley, 2011)

M E T H O D S

I N D I V I D U A L

Research Methods Strengths • Diverse range of sources enabled a stronger foundation of research. • Organising research collation using digital tools such as Mural & Padlet Allowed for work allocation & a structure to be created when displaying the research & analysis. • Involvement with communication between group members allowed us to focus our study more. • Mutually agreeing on strategies for analysis and providing frequent gatherings to filter information that best suited our topic of study.

Weaknesses • The majority of research was conducted online so the information is less reliable/trustworthy compared to the book resources. • Sometimes communication between group members became difficult which resulted in overlapping information and miscommunication over research.

Where will we explore next? Byron: To explore Arabic architecture looking at the reasons, for the shapes of mashrabiyas, importance of light and how it links to their culture. To understand the background and reasons of Arabic architecture that the IMA worked so hard to bridge with western architecture. Josh: To explore further into the relationship between specific architectural elements and their relevance to a specific cultural influence and identity. To understand architectural design approaches towards cultural representation through the individual components that, holistically, form the architecture as a whole. Rebecca: How craftsmanship has shaped architecture and it’s significance. The scale of the craftsmanship in the Arab Institute was so important for the social and politicl background and aided the Arab culture’s growth in france - how many other buildings have done so? Piotr: I’d like to explore further the cultural references found in the building. Since the building was meant to bridge cultures, I’d like to investigate references to not only Arab culture, but also French and European influences to see how the two are merged. Chantelle: I intend to further my research into how advanced technologies have changed traditional building techniques.

R E F E R Group Presentation E Joshua Veale, Chantelle Kimberley, NRebecca Davies, Byron Gregory, Piotr Hermaniuk C E S

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