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The intervention takes place in the block of buildings called 'Le Cristal' in the 'Arènes' area in Toulouse, France.
The population in Toulouse is growing significantly. Hence, the will to resist « gentrification » in the neighbourhood, by strengthening the identity and cultural cohesion among the people, relying on the local diversity so as to give birth to a new identity.

A challenge specific to this block of buildings : the constraints due to the architectural environment.
The building structure isolates the apartments from one another. Several building entrances with only two apartments for each entrance, which creates problems of communication and does not help encounters, compromising the social unity of the architectural structure.
This problem of communication -directly linked to the architectural environment- inevitably affected relations between the locals and the project carriers. The residents were informed of the project by a note left in their mail boxes.

Très supers. Beaucoup plus.

Super sympa comme idée.

On est bien dans notre résidence !

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Vivre les arènes

Réunir à nouveau pour partager

Ce paquebot est mieux à vivre dedans que dehors, il n’est beau que la nuit…

Hello there, General Kenobi

If you can’t love yourself, how in the hell you’re gonna love somebody else ?

De belles rencontres et du mieux pour vivre ensemble dans un quartier aux multiples facettes

Nolite te salopardes exterminorum

Tout est intéressant, il suffit de s’y intéresser…

Je vous adore

Il n’y a pas d’âge pour rigoler, pour se comprendre…Les joies de la diversité du quartier

BE A BRONY !!

Pleins de bisous

Dreams came true

Les gens autour de moi sont tous gentils et agréables

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Photobox (Mescladis) :

Giving more visibility to those who usually remain invisible, by humanizing the environment in terms of architecture and urban planning, an environment which has lost its connection with the inhabitants.

A camera device (photobox) has been installed, giving the residents the opportunity for individual photographs. With this device gradually integrated in the environment, over a hundred portraits were taken. Besides, a large number of short phrases and sentences was collected from the residents.

For the final banquet, as a conclusion to the intervention, the portraits were projected on the Cristal building's façade, from the apartment of one of the residents.

A portrait of me for you

Colours on the Cristal Building

La colloc de l’amour vous envoie de l’amour !

Soyez solidaire

Tous couleur, tous pareils, tous différents, tous amour.

Très supers. Beaucoup plus.

Super sympa comme idée.

Très bonne initiative pour faire connaissance des voisins

On est bien dans notre résidence !

Désolé pour le bruit, on part bientôt !

Je n’avais pas d’inspiration

Le Cristal : y vivre, c’est commencer à l’apprécier

banner

Vivre les arènes

Réunir à nouveau pour partager

Ce paquebot est mieux à vivre dedans que dehors, il n’est beau que la nuit…

Hello there, General Kenobi

If you can’t love yourself, how in the hell you’re gonna love somebody else ?

De belles rencontres et du mieux pour vivre ensemble dans un quartier aux multiples facettes

Nolite te salopardes exterminorum

Tout est intéressant, il suffit de s’y intéresser…

Je vous adore

Il n’y a pas d’âge pour rigoler, pour se comprendre…Les joies de la diversité du quartier

Rigoler c’est mieux que de pleurer !

BE A BRONY !!

Pleins de bisous

Dreams came true

Les gens autour de moi sont tous gentils et agréables

Carrefour du Monde Liberté Egalité
Paix Amour Harmonie
J’aimerais que tout le monde puisse vivre ensemble. La vie appartient à tout le monde ! Ouvrez les frontières ! Laissez nous passer ! Rien n’est si doux que la diversité. Acceptons nous tous et vivons dans la paix. Ouvrez ouvrez la cage aux oiseaux !! Tous ensemble on se mélange.
S’occuper des personnes isolées
Je suis très bien ici et c’est très sympa Vive la culture et le partage ! Que ma joie demeure
Que la chance sourit à tous
Je suis qui je veux être ! Ca fait 40 ans que je vis ici, je suis bien. Il y fait bon vivre ! Petit passage à Toulouse- petite détente avant les examens…
Les rageuses peuvent maigrir !
Bonne dégustation ! Coumiamammanue : et bon appétit !! Itadakimasu ! Youpi
Ensemble et individuellement, soyez les bienvenus !
De l’amour ! Nues sous le manteau! Pour l’amour du love

Draw on me

At the initiative of the Pepite Collective.

Free drawing on the photoboxes in front of the building.

S’occuper des personnes isolées
K.T.D. frère Vive les pains au chocolat ! Phrase chocolatée Don’t follow, I’m lost too !
La promotion via des associations pour le « vivre ensemble »
Liberté amour et vin La famille avant tout
Kisous à vous tous
Décorez vos balcons ! Le respect et la bonne humeur Allez à tous vos souhaits ! Pas de violence
Entraide, peace, love and havin’fun !
PAS DE RACISME Tous ensemble ! Souriez, vous faites partis du monde !

Portraits in the Neighborhood

Architecture (MistoDiya) :

Design of a module by Mystodia association, from Kiev. The module was later built in the neighbourhood with the objective of arousing the inhabitants' curiosity. The local residents had fun putting the stools together and then could take them back home, which was a good opportunity to foster social relationships.
The module later provided a support for artistic activities (drawing, cooking design).
This module still exists and has been made available to associations.

Cooking Design (CRICAO) :

The concept of Cooking Design consists in adapting traditional recipes collected from the local residents.
In this particular case, the general architecture of the buildings made it difficult for the project carriers and the residents to meet and the collection of recipes was hardly possible.
The Cricao association then came up with the idea to create a brand for a chocolate bar : The Cristal.
The wrapper showed a photo and a short phrase given by the residents during the Photobox session. As a result, about 150 different chocolate bars were made.

They were handed out on the evening of the projection, as a giant chocolate bar was being painted by the locals with edible paint.
Each participant to this final banquet got a candy bar.
It spontaneously started a trading game among the residents, each of them hoping to swap his chocolate bar for the one showing his own portrait.

Final Banquet :

Musical set with a one-man band, projection of the « Photobox » portraits on the façades of the building and final banquet.
Later in the evening, one of the local residents complains about the noise, an opportunity for all to think about the organizational difficulties of musical events and the programming choices.
Out of these reflections, a committee specifically dedicated to the choice of programmes is created, demonstrating their desire for new events, potlucks and collective actions.

In this way, something unexpected gave the residents the opportunity to discuss and solve problems.

Meal and projection of the portraits of the residents on the façades of the building.