Re-Invent

Lacaton and Vassal Architects claim that the first task of the architect is to observe carefully, to explore, to think, to take positions, to set down intentions, and then to decide what to do, what to build, and sometimes decide whether to build or not.

The challenges of contemporary society all seem, basically, to revolve around a culture of paying attention, interpreting and transforming ­the existing environment. The point is to exalt the capacities of the existing, to look at it in a new light. The existing provides the preliminary structure for all the projects of the architects Anne Lacaton and Jean-Philippe Vassal.

Transforming, using, what already exists is accurately observing, from inside, as close as possible. Understanding, being curious, being attentive, to the places, trees, people … Looking positively and taking advantage of what is already there, as an opportunity and an additional value. Adding, joining, expanding, superimposing, spanning the existing structure is always more interesting than starting from a place beforehand cleaned and emptied. The project then invents a new situation, enriched of all the previous stories, of all the existing layers.