Overflowing

designed by Atelier Altern /

Location: France / Toulouse / Type: Installations / Built: 2010 /
Published on March 7, 2012

Landscape architecture design agency Atelier Altern has been present in the French city of Toulouse where the first edition of « Imaginez maintenant » was taking place. « Imaginez Maintenant » is a national event in support of youth creation, including performances, fashion, architecture and poetry, as well as an experimentation field for young landscapers to share, over the summer, a contextual and sensitive vision on emblematic French heritage sites. In order to represent the profession of landscape architect among the national sphere of creation, the city of Toulouse through the regional center of choreography Toulouse/Midi-Pyrénnées (C.D.C. Toulouse) has given the possibility to transform emblematic French heritages sites of the town : the old Hopital de la Grave.

The two landscapers have decided to work just in one of the yards of the Hopital de la Grave, located in Saint-Cyprien quarter of Toulouse.
Well-known by the local people for its famous chapel in a shape of dome, easily found from the surroundings, La Grave , now disused, will become in 2014 the new regional center of art and choreographic programs. In this particular context of architectural heritage, Sylvain Morin and Aurélien Zoia wanted to act with poetry and simplicity. In fact, they are transforming the space, just with a simple field of wood sticks covering all the Ste Monique back yard, adjoining the Saint-Joseph chapel. By an undulation impression, the wood sticks look like a condensed and repetitive pattern. An imaginary effect of overflowing in a space where stays a dried up fountain for long time… This act between art and landscape is more based on an elementary approach : to be affected by the sight of the ordinary in telling the extraordinary. It’s also remind to the visitors the overflowing that had filed the Hospital years ago.

Landscape architecture: Atelier Altern, Sylvain Morin & Aurélien Zoia
Client: regional center of choreography Toulouse/Midi-Pyrénnées
Location: Toulouse, France
Festival: “Imaginez Maintenant”
Design year: 2009-2010
Year of construction: 2010
Area: 1500 m2
Budget: 10 000 euros HT
Text & Images: Atelier Altern