Upside-Down Roof, Arles FR 2016
Upside-down roof is a project realized in collaboration between the Design Academy of Eindhoven and the Luma foundation of Arles France. As suggested by the name of the object, it is a “upsidedown roof” that serves as a sink and fountain. The goal was to furnish the residence for the artists who work in the Luma exhibition spaces using local materials including rice, metal, paper, salt and straw. Among these mentioned I chose straw because logically it was the only material that guarantees good resistance to water and humidity and has excellent waterproof characteristics. In fact, on a layer of straw 30 centimeters thick, the water only enters the first seven, leaving the remaining twenty-three completely dry. And all this for a maximum duration of 30 years, before the replacement is necessary. Is an excellent strong, renewable material resources. The other reason why I used straw because i found curious that both Arles and Eindhoven have houses with thatched roofs. This is because historically there is a secular trade between the region of Provence and Brabant. The Dutch buy the straw that grows around Arles and in exchange sell the metal and the tools to build the roofs. so the beginning of my research starting from a small village near Eindhoven called Sint Oedenrode, where I spent several days together with local artisans, who taught me the secrets and techniques to build thatched roofs. Once back in France I built the fountain with the function of sink, and as an “upsidown” roof, the water will drop from the ceiling simulating the rain will fall over the sink and over the straw and will be collected from shingles that will unload the sewer. People will use it to cool off from the long and hot summer days and wash the body, face, armpits, and why not even teeth, on the other word is a sink.
Upside-down roof is a project realized in collaboration between the Design Academy of Eindhoven and the Luma foundation of Arles France. As suggested by the name of the object, it is a “upsidedown roof” that serves as a sink and fountain. The goal was to furnish the residence for the artists who work in the Luma exhibition spaces using local materials including rice, metal, paper, salt and straw. Among these mentioned I chose straw because logically it was the only material that guarantees good resistance to water and humidity and has excellent waterproof characteristics. In fact, on a layer of straw 30 centimeters thick, the water only enters the first seven, leaving the remaining twenty-three completely dry. And all this for a maximum duration of 30 years, before the replacement is necessary. Is an excellent strong, renewable material resources. The other reason why I used straw because i found curious that both Arles and Eindhoven have houses with thatched roofs. This is because historically there is a secular trade between the region of Provence and Brabant. The Dutch buy the straw that grows around Arles and in exchange sell the metal and the tools to build the roofs. so the beginning of my research starting from a small village near Eindhoven called Sint Oedenrode, where I spent several days together with local artisans, who taught me the secrets and techniques to build thatched roofs. Once back in France I built the fountain with the function of sink, and as an “upsidown” roof, the water will drop from the ceiling simulating the rain will fall over the sink and over the straw and will be collected from shingles that will unload the sewer. People will use it to cool off from the long and hot summer days and wash the body, face, armpits, and why not even teeth, on the other word is a sink.
