MIES - Spatial Anisotropy

The following is a design from Odile Decq Benoît Cornette Architects in France. It is the VNF-Headquarters competition for a modern Parisian building, and it uses the Seine River to ultimate affect. Also defined by the firm is the concept of "spatial anisotropy." As a structural engineer, I understand what that means - that the material, like wood, doesn't have a similar grain pattern in different directions. In other words, the spaces aren't the same going east, west, south, north, up, down, et cetera.

Here is Odile Decq Benoît Cornette's description of their unique design: "Spatial anisotropy dilates, tightens, conducts and wraps. Fluid and continuous, a ribbon of metal is inlaid with glass surfaces and draws successively a volume in relief, a volume in a hollow tangentially connected."

Their design begins by forming the atrium which hosts the exhibition space and the entrance hall. The atrium distributed offices on two levels. The ribbon continues its race around the volume in relief and becomes the external skin of the offices. And then it spreads around the volume in a hollow of the cultural space, great plan free (200 m) open on a terrace (150 m). Whatever the use of this second barge, the configuration of spaces, and the mode of junction allows to link or to separate the two entities. The two barges are connected and linked to the wharf by two gateways whose one continues to walk at the edge of the water by following the curve of the volume in a hollow.

The 'ribbon' is a skin indoor and outdoor composed of metal pixels of glass offering different views of the Seine and the docks. The spatial anisotropy is truly a dilation space forming a revulsion and a spatial contraction. When there is interaction there is transformation of the local geometry.

Overall, this is a sheik design using historic landmarks (such as the Seine) to augment a more modern design successfully. The material choice, also, would be interesting to specify. One feels that Frank Gehry might know a thing or two about potential manufacturers of the cladding.