The Evolving City: Reinventing Parisian Squares for the 21st Century

Over the last decade Paris has been implementing a range of eco-friendly and sustainable initiatives. Some of these have little visible effect on the overall appearance of the city, like increased bike lanes, however, the local municipality has recently embarked on vast project to renew seven of its most iconic squares as well as the Champs-Elysées and the area around the Eiffel Tower. These large-scale projects aim to make Paris more accessible, greener, more beautiful and allow the city and its citizens to produce and breath fresher air.

The project revolves around seven of the city’s largest squares, which are distributed around the city: Nation, Gambetta, Bastille, Italie, Madeleine, Panthéon and Fêtes. Separately from the seven squares, there are also big plans for two of the most visited areas of Paris: Les Champs-Elysées and the area around the Eiffel Tower. The initiative is part of the Paris Climate Action Plan, a municipal-level initiative to meet the objectives of the Paris Climate Agreement with the ultimate goal of making Paris carbon neutral by 2050.

The future Champs-Elysées. Image: Paris Futur

Hearing from residents was very important in the early steps of the process. To achieve this, the city set up an online platform to gather input from the residents, launched in 2015. Further public opinion was gathered during 150 “town hall” style meetings and workshops. The key elements residents wanted these urban spaces to have were increased vegetation, larger pedestrian walkways, enhanced fluidity of movement and the ability to better enjoy these public space. Protected bike lanes and reduced automobile traffic (and thus noise pollution) were other factors highlighted in these public forums.

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The future Place-de-la-Concorde. Image: Paris Futur

In 2017, four collectives of architects, landscape architects, ethnologists and other specialists began designing these new spaces. The same year, the Paris Pedestrian Strategy was put in place in order to increase and simplify pedestrian walkways in the city. Similarly, the Paris Respire (Paris Breaths) initiative has born, with the objective of introducing several “breathing spaces” in each district as well as encouraging more cycling.

The future Place-de-la-Bastille. Image: Ville de Paris

The global results of the project should claim 25,000 m2 from traffic lanes, which will be converted into sidewalks, bike paths, sitting areas and vegetation. There should also be a total increased area of 15,000 m2 of vegetation, including the planting of 150 trees, as well as 5,000 m2 less pf asphalt-covered surfaces. What’s more, these squares will be 100 % accessible for people with reduced mobility and they will be equipped with ground markers for the visually impaired. Lastly, the squares will feature either water misters or water pools with jets, to help residents cool down on hot summer days.

Site Tour Eiffel . Amphithéâtre du Trocadéro © GP+B

Site Tour Eiffel . Amphithéâtre du Trocadéro Ville de Paris © GP+B

With the 2024 Summer Olympic games in sight, Paris is also reinventing the zone around the Eiffel Tower and that of Les Champs-Elysées. Entitled “OnE I”, the Eiffel Tower site project will extend from Le Champs de Mars, across the Iena Bridge and up to Place du Trocadero and created “green lungs” within Paris. The Trocadero gardens are going to be redesigned, and cherry trees planted, as well as the upper levels of Trocadero where and green amphitheatre like space will be created. All of these spaces will be accessible for people with mobility issues. Greenery will be planted on the Iéna bridge, the walkways along the Seine and the gardens of the Champs-de-Mars will also be refurbished. The Champs-Elysées project was given the green light by the Paris mayor in January 2021. The “most beautiful avenue in the world” will become even more beautiful thanks to a doubling of its greenery and pedestrian walkways.

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The future Champs-Elysées. Image: ©PCA-Stream

You don’t have to wait for 2024 to enjoy these improved public spaces in Paris, the works are being rolled out gradually. One of the first to be completed is Place du Panthéon which now has a modern urban sitting area on the north side, with benches made of recycled material. Much of the work has already been completed at Place de la Nation and Place de la Bastille, so you can already enjoy more space for enjoying both of these squares. Year by year, they will become more and more beautiful as the greener grows!

Immerse yourself into evolving Paris by pursuing a Master’s at our Paris School of Arts and Culture. Our Programmes in Architecture and Urban Design, the History and Philosophy of Art, Film and Creative Writing allow you to connect with Paris on a deeper level. View our full range of programmes here.

Graduate Profile: Writer Tom George

In our latest edition of our Paris School of Arts and Culture (PSAC) Alumni Spotlight series we connect with Tom George, a graduate of our The Contemporary Master’s Programme. Tom George is a contributing writer for i-D magazine and Freelance Project Coordinator for VICE Media Group. His writing has also been published in The Metro, Pink News, Grindr and Amuse. Discover how Tom’s experience at PSAC was a life-changing experience in our interview with him below.

Where are you from and what originally brought you to Paris?

I’m from South London. I went to the University of Kent in Canterbury (UKC) for my Undergraduate and studied English and American Literature. After doing a few fun modules in my second and third year on graphic novels, 20th-century New York and queer literature I decided I wanted to study more contemporary culture. UKC actually offered an entire Master’s degree in it that included lectures at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London and an entire term studying in Paris which was the dream course for me.

What attracted you most about studying at PSAC?

When I broached the idea of doing an MA with my lecturer he suggested the term in Paris would be really great for me and my interests. I’ve always loved Paris as a city and the idea of studying modern Parisian culture whilst living within the city itself sounded truly magical.

What were some of the highlights of your experience?

Probably having lectures on modernist art by Van Gogh, Matisse, Picasso, Duchamp and more whilst standing in front of their very art and seeing it for ourselves. It was also surreal reading the works of authors who lived in the city and then going and sitting in the cafés they did and doing some writing or walking through the same streets. Life in Paris was also just so relaxed and exciting. My friends and I loved just exploring the city together.

What are you currently doing and how did that opportunity come about?

I’m a writer on fashion and pop culture mainly working with i-D magazine. I also work on commercial projects between magazines and fashion brands. I’ve loved fashion and magazines since I was a little kid so it’s pretty amazing to now be part of creating those same magazines. After my MA finished in 2018, I worked in fashion retail and wrote for LGBTQ+ blogs and copywriters. Eventually an opportunity came up at i-D in early 2019 supporting their teams on a project and my work with them just grew from there!

Do you think that your studies at PSAC helped with your career prospects?

Definitely! I think the modules, my course mates and even just the city itself felt so inspiring to me at the time that I ended up writing a lot for myself and my own blog which eventually led to me writing for other media platforms and where I do now. Through PSAC I also met other writers, artists and creatives on my course and that’s been really helpful – not just as a network but also in terms of support as we all navigate being creatives within the working world together.

Would you recommend PSAC to potential students and if so what would you tell them?

I would definitely recommend PSAC, it was such an amazing and life-changing experience. My advice would be to grab it by the horns and experience it all. If I was to do it again I would just go and explore even more because Paris is so rich in culture. I also made some really close friends there through this special shared experience. We still see each other and meet up when we can. We were actually going to visit Paris again last year until the pandemic hit. Fingers crossed we can soon because I miss them all and Paris a lot.

Merci beaucoup Tom!

Connect with Tom here:

Website: www.tomgexrge.com

Instagram: @tomgexrge

Twitter: @tomgexrge

Application Portal – Scheduled Site Maintenance (9-19 April, 2021)

Trying to apply to study in Paris at our School of Arts and Culture, but are encountering some difficulties? We are currently upgrading our systems. What does this mean for you?

On Monday 19 April, we’ll be launching an updated student record system to improve and support the student journey at Kent. As such, between Friday 9 April and Sunday 18 April, you won’t be able to access, or contact us via, our online portal. Unfortunately, while the upgrade is taking place, any current applicants won’t be able to accept your offer to study with us. If you would like to get in touch between these days, please email us at paris@kent.ac.uk.

From 19 April, applicants should be able to contact us via the portal once more. We apologise for this inconvenience and look forward to receiving any enquiries by email during this period of time.

Parisian History Focus: 150-Year Anniversary of the Paris Commune

The date of 18 March marked the 150th anniversary of the Commune de Paris, a two and a half month long insurrection which occurred in 1871, the last of France’s almost century of revolutions. It was sparked due to the instability which arose in the wake of the French defeat during the Franco-Prussian war and led to a power between the socialist “Communards” and the Republican Gard. The bloody episode in French history involved intense fighting in the streets of Paris and other deadly events. There are various sites around Paris which still bear witness to the Paris Commune. Below are some of the more relevant or visually evocative examples of these.

Plaza in front of Sacré-Coeur

The government’s attempt to remove the canons, placed in front of Sacré-Coeur to defend the city during the Franco-Prussian war, was a key factor in the outbreak of the insurrection on 18 March 1871 (see above photo). There were further canons in Menilmontant, Place des Vosges and other venues around the city.

Square Louise Michel

Although this small square at the bottom of Sacré-Coeur was created in the wake of the defeat of the Paris Commune, in 2004 it was renamed after Louise Michel. A school teacher in Montmartre, she became one of the best known figures of the Paris Commune.

Le mur des Fédérés – Cimetière du Père-Lachaise Photo: Roger Viollet

Le mur des Fédérés – Cimetière du Père-Lachaise

There is a memorial here on the spot where one-hundred and forty-seven fédérés, combatants of the Paris Commune, were shot at the foot of the wall and thrown into an open grave at the end of the revolt on 28 May 1871.

Villa des Otages (85 rue Haxo, 75020)

A café-concert at this address had been converted into a command post. On 26 May 1871, 52 hostages from the La Roquette prison, including 34 gendarmes and 11 Jesuits, were taken here and executed. There is a commemorative plaque labeled “villa des otages” on the outside of the building and a memorial is dedicated to them at the nearby Belleville cemetery.

Commune Graffiti in Eglise Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis Photo: Un Jour de Plus a Paris

Église Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis

Few people know that this beautiful Baroque church in the Marais contains an interesting piece of Commune graffiti. Look for the second pillar on the right when entering the church and you can see the faint words “République française ou la mort” (French Republic or death) which were not able to be completely removed.

Hotel de Ville

The Communards set many buildings on fire during the rebellion. Some of these were so badly damaged that they were not rebuilt, like the Tuileries Palace and a palace which stood on the site where the Musée was later built. L’Hotel de Ville, Paris’s City Hall, was among the structures damaged yet restored.

Destruction of the Vendome Column

Colonne Vendome

A group of Communards, led by painter Gustave Courbet, torn down and badly damaged the column erected by Napoleon Bonaparte in the early 1800s. The artist was later forced to pay for it to be rebuilt, which led to his bankruptcy and exile to Switzerland.

You can learn more about the revolt in this recent article on the BBC or in the academic publications on the Digital Libraries site. As it is quite complex you can also get a better grasp of it via this useful Paris Commune timeline.

The Evolving City: a New Life for the Former Petite Ceinture Railway

There are a number of interesting urban renewal projects to study in Paris and one of the most interesting is the rehabilitation of La Petite Ceinture, or “The Little Belt” in French. Over the past few decades, sections of this defunct 32-kilometre rail line which encircled Paris, have been converted into picturesque walkways and some of the former stations have been transformed into bars and cultural centres.

Map of the Petite Ceinture and Paris rail links of the 1800s.

In the mid-19th century a vast network of rail lines was created in and around Paris. Some lines were built for inter-city travel, while others were designed to transport suburban commuters in and out of the city. Certain sections of the latter are still in use, however, when the RER underground suburban train network was developed in the 1960s, most of the above-ground suburban lines within the Paris city limits were phased out. It is only in recent times that parts of these have been rehabilitated.

Coulée Verte Réné-Dumont (Promenade Plantée)

This urban renewal project started with an impressive 1.5 km long viaduct extending east from Place de la Bastille, La Coulée Verte René-Dumont, also known as the Promenade Plantée. In the late 1980s a path and garden was created atop the viaduct and the large space beneath its 64 arch was encased in massive panels of glass and turned into art galleries, artisanal workshops and design boutiques. A beautiful example of architectural preservation and repurposing, the Coulée Verte was the inspiration for numerous other projects like this, both in Paris and around the world, namely the High Line in New York.

The success of the Coulée Verte sparked the refurbishment of other disused rail lines, starting of the sections the Petite Ceinture. While the totality of the former network has not been revamped, there are a number of stretches which can be walked, or visited in some capacity.

La Petite Ceinture du 15eme

A 1.3-kilometre stretch can be walked in the 15th, starting via an entrance across from 99 rue Olivier de Serres and ending in Place Ballard. This section of tracks is one of the newer ones refurbished, opening in 2013. As you amble along the peaceful pathway, you will pass alongside the walls of buildings, examples of street art and some unique vantage points of the arrondissement. The 16th district has a revamped section called le Sentier Nature and the 12th has a nice section which connects with the Coulée-Verte Réné-Dumont.

La Recyclerie, former Petite Ceinture station

Various former stations have also been reinvented. The first of these was La Fleche d’Or, opened as an alternative concert venue and bar in the mid 1990s. Closed then reopened, then closed again, it’s since reopened as a neighborhood association and has a bar, with very reasonable prices, open to everyone (closed currently due to Covid restrictions). Two of the former stations in the 18th have been refurbished into cool contemporary venues. La Recyclerie, is an eco-responsible bar and restaurant which also has seating and a garden down by the train tracks (it is currently open and you can get takeaway food or drinks). A little further west is Le Hasard Ludique, which also has relaxed seating alongside the tracks, in addition to food prepared by refugee chefs and a great programme of workshops and concerts (currently closed due to covid restrictions). Two refurbished stations have a chicer appeal: Le Poincon in the 14th and La Gare in the 16th.

Photo Credits:

1st image: La Petite Ceinture. Photo: Vincent Anderlucci / Flickr

Other photos by Lily Heise

Modern French Women Writers to Add to your Reading List

Over the course of the last century French female writers have succeeded in forging a solid place for themselves in ranks of modern French literature, often by being innovative, expressing a female perspective or constructing new narrative forms. Their engaging works should be celebrated every day, however, in honour of International Women’s Day on 8 March, we are highlighting a selection of French women writers chosen by Dr Carine Fréville, a professor of French and literature at the Paris School of Arts and Culture. Fear not if your French language skills aren’t up to snuff, all of these authors have at least one book translated into English.

Violette Leduc

The subject of Dr Fréville’s Master’s thesis, novelist Violette Leduc was born in the northern French city of Arras in 1907, the illegitimate daughter of a servant and the son of a rich bourgeois family. She attended a boarding school from the age of 11, where she was introduced to literature and where she also had her first lesbian experience, an affair which would later inspire her 1955 novel Ravages. After failing her baccalaureate exam in 1926, she got a job as a press cuttings clerk and secretary at the Pion publishing house; a role that transitioned into her writing news pieces about their publications. She wrote her first novel, L’Asphyxie, in 1946 (translated into English in 1970 as In the Prison of Her Skin). Prior to its publication, she met and gave a manuscript of the book to Simone de Beauvoir, the beginning of their lifetime friendship. Leduc is best-known for her 1964 autobiographical novel La Bâtarde (The Bastard), a bestseller in France and shortlisted for le Prix Goncourt, one of the country’s most prestigious literary prize. Leduc was also the subject of the 2013 film Violette directed by Martin Provost.

Photo (left): Marguerite Duras, Chateau de Duras

Marguerite Duras

The author of dozens of novels, plays and screenplays, Marguerite Duras is one of France’s most international recognized female writers. Born in 1914 in French Indochine (now Vietnam) to teacher parents, she came to France to complete her studies at age 17. Obtaining a degree in Political Science, she originally pursued a career in the French civil service. Nevertheless, she was writing on the side and published her first novel, Les Impudents, in 1943 – coincidentally with Pion, the same publisher where Leduc worked. Thanks to her third novel, Un barrage contre le Pacifique (The See Wall, published in 1950 and adapted to cinema in 2007 by director Rithy Panh), Duras’s writing began to garner more attention and she began to establish herself as a prominent pillar of modern French literature. Among her other works are the best-selling, autobiographical novel L’Amant which won the Prix Goncourt in 1984 (also adapted to film in 1992 by Claude Berri) and her screenplay for the 1959 New Wave film Hiroshima mon Amour, directed by Alain Resnais, which was nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the Academy Awards.

Photo (left): Annie Ernaux by Catherine Hélie, Gallimard.

Annie Ernaux

Winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2022, Annie Ernaux is one of France’s most renowned modern writers. Born into a working-class family in Normandy in 1940, she pursued a degree in literature and began a career in teaching. In 1974 she published her first novel, Les Armoires Vides (Cleaned Out), inspired by her childhood in Normandy and exploring the condition of her parents’ generation, women’s issues and the struggle between social classes – themes which frequently come up in her writing. She became better know abroad after her 2008 memoir, Les Années, was translated into English and subsequently long-listed for the Man Booker international prize. She has earned many other national and international distinctions including having her complete body of work awarded the Marguerite Yourcenar prize in 2017.

Gisèle Pineau

Born in Paris in 1956, Gisele Pineau’s family roots in Guadeloupe and the struggles of French people of colour are important themes in her writing. In 1975 she began studying literature, which she gave up to pursue a career as a psychiatric nurse. In 1993 she published her first novel, La Grande Drive des Esprits, which shed light on the difficulties, suffering and violence women endure in the French West Indies. The book was awarded Elle France’s Reader’s Choice Award and the Carbet de la Caraïbe prize, making her its first female laureate. She has since written over 20 novels including the critically-acclaimed autobiographical novel, L’Exil selon Julia (Exile According to Julia, 1996), which is studied in Dr Fréville’s Diaspora and Exile class.

Marie Darrieussecq

One of the authors covered in Dr Fréville’s PhD, Marie Darrieussecq’s work often revolves around gender issues, the body and transformation as seen through the eyes of female characters. Born in 1969, Darrieussecq studied modern literature at the Sorbonne Nouvelle and obtained her PhD from the Université Paris VII. She became an instant success at 27 with the publication of her first book and international best-seller, Truismes (Pig Tales), which describes the metamorphosis of a woman into a sow. Her 2013 novel Il Faut beaucoup Aimer les Hommes (A Novel of Cinema and Desire) was taken from a sentence from Marguerite Duras’s La Vie Matérielle: “We have to love men a lot”, and won her the Prix Médicis and the Prix des Prix. In 2017 we had the pleasure of welcoming the author at our Paris campus as the guest of a conference hosted by Dr Fréville.

Photo: Faïza Guène, Hachette

Faïza Guène

One of France’s rising literary stars, Faïza Guène’s published her debut novel, Kiffe Kiffe Demain (Just Like Tomorrow) in 2004 when she was only 19. Selling over 400,000 copies and translated into 26 languages, the book portrays the realities of the life of a teen of immigrant parents growing up in the Parisian suburbs, it is also covered in Dr Fréville’s Diaspora and Exile class. She has since published four other novels, which further explore issues of identity and contemporary French society. She has also written and directed several short films and writes for or appears regularly in French press, radio and TV.

Graduate Profile: Filmmaker Ece Ger

In this edition of our Paris School of Arts and Culture (PSAC) Alumni Spotlight series we connect with Ece Ger, a graduate of our Film MA. The Turkish filmmaker tells us how she ended up studying abroad in Paris and how the experience at PSAC led to the making of her first film, Meeting Jim, a moving documentary on Jim Haynes, an important figure in the Paris cultural and expat community. Jim Haynes sadly passed away at the beginning of 2021 and a tribute screening of the film will be held virtually, via the film’s website and on BBC Scotland ,from 5 to 8 March, 2021. Further details on this at the end of Ece’s interview below.

Where are you from and what originally brought you to Paris?

I am from Istanbul, Turkey, but was born in Wien, Austria. My initial plan was to apply for the Kent MA programme which takes place in Canterbury for the whole three terms. However, an alumni friend of mine shared his own Paris experience with me and advised me to choose the Paris MA programme to submit. I am so glad that I listened to his advice and had the opportunity to study film in Paris at Reid Hall.

What attracted you most about studying at PSAC?

Diving into the history of French Cinema, having the chance to observe the connections between one of the most cinematic cities in the world and cinema, discovering how they influenced each other… exploring all these new aspects is what attracted me the most about studying at PSAC.

“The Burghers of Calais” by Rodin, photo by Tommy O’Donogue

What were some of the highlights of your experience?

The most important highlight of my experience was the lecture of Frances Guerin called “Modernism and Paris”. I remember being so inspired not only by learning about the early history of cinema but also by starting to perceive the cinematographic connections between the past and the present time in the city of Paris.

As Kent film students, we had access to the Cinémathèque Française. Going there several times a week to work on my thesis was one of the highlights of my time in Paris. Spending time at the Cinémathèque inspired and motivated me to learn more about my research topic, to discover a tiny bit of the film ocean while enjoying the delicious tartines at Les 400 Coups, the restaurant of the Cinémathèque.

I also remember the day which our art professor took us to the Rodin Museum. That day, my classmate Tommy O’Donogue took a photo of “The Burghers of Calais”, which won the photography award at the end of the year. While listening to the story of those burghers waiting to be executed, I saw the photograph Tommy took. In the frame, there was only the sculpture and the gaze of one of our classmates. Suddenly, that photograph became a bridge in my mind than connected those hopeless people and our classmate. It was one of those moments to realise how the information was transmitted between generations through any medium of art. The past and the present moment could get really close to each other, even intertwine through one image, through one story or a film. I never forgot that moment of realisation which was a true inspiration for me.

Last but not least, I met Jim Haynes through the guest professor Dina Iordinova who gave a seminar at Reid Hall. Frances Guerin introduced me to her after the seminar and Dina Iordinova introduced me to Jim Haynes, who was going to become the subject of my first feature-length documentary.

Excerpts from the Q&A and screening of Meeting Jim held at Reid Hall in March 2019

What are you currently doing and how did that opportunity come about?

I am writing a comedy story full of spontaneous encounters that take place in Paris and a few more cities. During these difficult pandemic days, it’s the best way for me to stay optimistic.

Do you think that your studies at PSAC helped with your career prospects?

The word help is not enough to describe the influence of PSAC on me and on my journey as a filmmaker. If I would have to come up with one sentence with the word “career”, I’d say, my career came to life at Reid Hall. All the adventure started there back in 2015.

Would you recommend PSAC to potential students and if so what would you tell them?

I would recommend to all the potential students to leave everything else and run to PSAC to feel inspired, to get connected, to gain deeper knowledge in their own fields and to discover their true passions and interests.

Meeting Jim – Free Screening 5-8 March, 2021

To mark the two-month anniversary of Jim Haynes passing, a screening of the film is being organised. Here’s how you can view it:

IF YOU ARE BASED IN THE UK, the broadcast will take place at 21:00 (London time) 6 March simultaneously on BBC Scotland, Freeview/YouView, Freesat, Sky, Virgin Media and BBC iPlayer. After that, the documentary will be available on BBC iPlayer for a limited period of time.
FOR THE REST OF THE WORLD, the film will be available to watch for free here on www.meetingjim.com for 72 hours, starting from 19:00 Paris time on Friday, 5 March until 19:00 Paris time on Monday, 8 March.

Merci beaucoup Ece!

Connect with or follow Ece and her projects on:

Ece Ger’s Instagram

Meeting Jim – Official Website

Meeting Jim – Instagram

Meeting Jim – Facebook Page

Meeting Jim – Twitter

Meet Our PSAC Open Days Team

We are looking forward to welcoming potential applicants to our Paris School of Arts and Culture during our upcoming Postgraduate Open Days 2021. The event will be held virtually on Wednesday 24 February, 16:00-19:00 (GMT). It’s an excellent opportunity to converse with members of our faculty, staff and current students. Meet those who will be in attendance below. They will be happy to answer questions regarding our Paris Master’s programmes in Film, Creative Writing and the History and Philosophy of Art as well as queries on student life and living in Paris.

Dr Frances Guerin

Dr Frances Guerin is a Senior Lecturer and the School Deputy Director of Graduate Studies for our Paris School. She teaches modules in our Film and History and Philosophy of Art programmes. She completed her PhD in Cinema Studies at NYU in 2000, following an MA in Art History at University of Melbourne, and a BA (Hons) in English Language and Literature at University of Adelaide, Australia. Her articles on art and film are published widely in academic and art journals. She is also the author of three published monographs and has two forthcoming publications. Read Dr Guerin’s full bio here.

Yelena Moskovich

Yelena Moskovich is a Lecturer in our Creative Writing MA Programme. She studied theater at Emerson College, at the Lecoq School of Physical Theatre and Université Paris 8. She is the author of two novels: Virtuoso (Two Dollar Radio, 2020) and The Natashas (Serpent’s Tail, 2016). Her plays and performances have been produced in the US, Canada, France and Sweden. Read her full bio at this link.

Frank – PSAC Admissions & Recruitment Officer

Neda – MA Creative Writing (Paris)

Callum – MA Film Studies (Canterbury-Paris)

Esme – MA History & Philosophy of Art (Paris)

Have you signed up for our event yet? Register here.

Graduate Profile: Arts & Culture Writer Rawaa Talass

A wide array of students from the four corners of the globe choose to pursue the MA Programmes offered at the Paris School of Arts and Culture (PSAC). In our Alumni Spotlight series we touch base with some of our graduates to see what they are doing today and how their studies at PSAC has influenced their career path. In this edition, we connected with a graduate of our History and Philosophy of Art Master’s, arts and culture writer Rawaa Talass. She is also the founder and editor aRTproject, a daily online platform dedicated to the history of art with a focus on women in the arts from all ages. Read on to learn more about Rawaa’s background, studies and current activities.

Where are you from and what originally brought you to Paris?

I’m originally from Syria and was raised in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where I still live. What brought me to Paris was a need to feel inspired again and to start a new experience. At that point in my life, in 2015, I had developed an interest in artists and their works and decided to study art history. I was really excited when I got into the Kent programme in Paris, which was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

What attracted you most about studying at PSAC?

I think location was key. For a long time, France had been renowned for promoting its rich cultural heritage through public institutions. Growing up in Dubai, we didn’t have art museums to explore. I wanted to train my eye by observing art as much as I could. One of the nice things about the MA programme was the several field trips my classmates and I were treated to. For instance, if we did a reading on Cézanne, we would go to the Musée d’Orsay to see his paintings and so on. I think to appreciate art, you need to experience it in the flesh..

What were some of the highlights of your experience?

I have many fond memories – from the places I saw to the people I met. Strangely enough, I felt a stronger connection to my Middle Eastern roots when I was in Paris, as there are regional elements in the city’s cultural and architectural landscape — something I wrote about here. So I would say that the highlight of my studies in Paris was meeting Empress Farah Pahlavi of Iran for an interview for my MA dissertation. It focused on her patronage of the arts in her country during the 1960s and 1970s. Due to the Islamic Revolution of 1979, her activities were brought to a halt and she is currently exiled in Paris. Looking back, my dissertation was the most extensive piece of writing I ever undertook and it taught me how to be a better researcher.

What are you currently doing and how did that opportunity come about?

I’m a freelance journalist, writing articles on art, culture and society of the Middle East and its diaspora communities, mostly for regional media outlets. In 2017, I was a trainee at the Art Dubai fair, where I assisted in the communications department. Through my work there, I kept coming across the name of a publication called ‘Arab News’, and when I finished my traineeship I sent the editorial team an email pitch. I wasn’t even sure I was going to get a response. To my surprise, I did. In 2018, my first article for Arab News (a Saudi-based English daily newspaper founded in 1975) was published as a front-page story, which was surreal, on the opening of a new arts centre in Dubai. I’ve been regularly and predominantly contributing articles for them ever since.

If you would like to read about a more hopeful and creative side of the Arab world, please visit www.rawaatalass.com.

Merci beaucoup Rawaa!

Connect with Rawaa on her social media platforms:

Website: www.rawaatalass.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/artprojectdxb

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rawaa-talass-304512a8/
Instagram: @artprojectdxb

Twitter: artprojectdxb

The Evolving City: The Best Contemporary Architecture in Paris

Parisians have not always been welcoming to modern architecture. The city itself underwent massive urban restructuring in the mid-19^th century during the rule of Napoléon III and overseen by Prefect Baron Haussmann. It wasn’t until a century later that the city experienced another wave of ‘modernism’, mostly relegated outside the city centre in the La Défense business district, although a few modern buildings popped up intramuros, such as the eclectic Centre Pompidou and the predominantly unpopular Tour Montparnasse. The 1980s and 90s saw the arrival of Les Grands Projets, a series of large scale building works instigated by President Mitterrand, including the Bibliothèque Nationale, the Opera Bastille, the Pyramid of the Louvre and the Grand Arche de la Défense. But how has the cityscape changed since then? From designs by Jean Nouvel to the return of Renzo Piano, here are the most notable examples of contemporary architecture in Paris built since the start of the 21^st century.

Photo Credit: Fondation Louis Vuitton

Fondation Louis Vuitton – Frank Gehry (2014)

The recent building that has received the most unanimous praise from critics and citizens alike is this gleaming art centre nestled within the Bois de Boulogne woods at the western edge of Paris. In true Gehry form, mammoth curvaceous glass panels on wooden frames, nicknamed the “sails”, are at the forefront; these sit atop white blocks, or “icebergs”, which seem to float in pools of water. The sleek building hosts temporary exhibits revolving around the works of the Louis Vuitton fashion house collection, however, the building itself is well-worth visiting in its own right.

Photo Credit: Philharmonie de Paris

Philharmonie de Paris – Jean Nouvel (2015)

No other architect has left their mark on modern Paris than Jean Nouvel. His latest Parisian building, la Philharmonie de Paris, located within the Parc de la Villette in northeastern Paris, certainly does not leave one indifferent. Created for the Symphony Orchestra of Paris, Nouvel paid particular attention to its 2,400 seat-auditorium, which has a central stage encircled by undulating tiers of seating to bring the audience as close to the musicians as possible. The eye-catching metallic exterior is enveloped in 265,000 aluminium birds which appear to swirl up around the building, perhaps dancing to the music performed within?

Photo Credit: Tribunal de Paris

Tribunal de Paris – Renzo Piano (2018)

Forty years after designing the Centre Pompidou in tandem with Richard Rogers, Italian architect Renzo Piano’s return to the Parisian architecture scene was not met with as much enthusiasm as the iconic modern art museum. The tallest building constructed in Paris since the 56-story Tour Montparnasse was completed in 1973, the new 38-floor Paris court house shimmers on the northwest fringes of the city, so much so, that the building almost goes unnoticed. The glass tower makes up for its lacklustre looks courtesy of its sustainability facilities including solar panels, enhanced thermal insulation, rainwater collection and other cutting edge eco-friendly technology.

Photo Credit: la Seine Musicale

La Seine Musicale – Shigeru Ban and Jean de Gastines (2017)

Located in a crook of the Seine off of the southwestern suburb of Boulogne-Billancourt, the former industrial island of Île Seguin, was given new life thanks to this dazzling concert hall. A play on words blending its location and its purpose, La Seine Musicale was a collaboration between French architect Jean de Gastines and Japanese Shigeru Ban, winner of the prestigious Pritzker Prize. The oval-shaped structure is encased in glass sexagons and is hugged by a curved grouping of solar panels which creates a dramatic effect akin to a musical crescendo. The auditorium is equally impressive, with a ceiling of wooden honey-combs mirroring the exterior panels. Even if you don’t get to see the interior during one of its concerts or dance performances, a tour of the exterior still impresses.

Photo Credit: Cité de la Mode et Design

La Cité de la Mode et du Design / Les Docks de Paris – Jakob + MacFarlane (2010)

The arrival of the new Bibliothèque Nationale in 1990s, ushered in a new urban era for the northeast section of the 13^th arrondissement which, especially over the last 10 years, has developed into the most exciting hub of Parisian contemporary architecture. The best known, and most recognisable example is this daring building. The French architectural firm of Dominique Jakob and Brendan MacFarlane deftly succeeded in converting an early 20^th century concrete shipping depot into a hip centre for fashion and design. One can’t miss it thanks to the swooshing wave of green passageways dissecting the river-facing façade. The building houses the French Institute of Fashion, contemporary art exhibition spaces, shops and several bars on its sprawling rooftop.

Photo Credit: Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac

Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac – Jean Nouvel (2006)

In the shadow of the Eiffel Tower is former President Jacques Chirac’s legacy to Paris, also designed by Jean Nouvel. According to the architect, the museum was built around the collection it was due to host; the French state’s 300,000 works from Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas. Perched on stilts and hidden within trees, the building consists of large suspended, multi-colored boxes juxtaposed by a vast vertical garden, one of the city’s first, covering one entire wall. Rising in a spiral, the interiors guide visitors on an organic flow throughout the displays. It also has a rooftop restaurant with stunning views of the Tour Eiffel.

Photo Credit: la Tour Triangle

This wave of contemporary architecture is far from over. Keep your eyes on the city’s horizon in the coming years for the arrival of Herzog & de Meuron’s Tour Triangle and a number of new soaring towers at la Défense, which will come dangerously close to the Eiffel Tower’s height of 324 metres.