Chambon Unfolded
To us, Passage Chambon is a place in constant evolution. It is a place of conjunctions of time, of context, of program, of orientation, of rhythm, of material, that is in constant motion. Some are more dynamic than others, but everchanging nonetheless.
For us, the essence of the studio was to capture these conjunctions and illuminate them through our design, while also improving the passage and its problematic state. So that is what we did. We decided to expand the area of the passage by creating an additional space behind one of the existing walls. The organization, concept, planning and structure all find their logic in the precise design choices of Chambon.
The main actors in our design are the concrete columns we introduced in our new space. It is placed as an extension of the existing columns, following their rhythm and serving the same purpose as a structural element. But at the same time, they serve as pedestals for artists to display their work. The inside of the column is hollow, obtained by casting concrete in a mold with a tight wad of paper covered by thin plastic on the inside. This generates a texture similar to fabric which creates a certain fragility in a colossal, heavy column. This textile texture also ties back to the original, chique context of the passage and to our fascination for fashion, as we saw the passage being used for a fashion show in our collages. Every column’s inside is illuminated by a light hole in the roof, which follows the rhythm and pattern of the cassettes in the passage. They serve as a spotlight for this texture.
The column is not round like its original counterpart, but octagonal with one side open to reveal the inside. We chose this shape because of its versatility. While symmetrical in itself and fateful to the original shape of the circle, it behaves asymmetrically to its surroundings. This gives it the opportunity to create interesting angles and points of view.
ATLAS
MAPPING PASSAGE CHAMBON