Les OlympiadesBased on the essay, "A City in a Building: Paris Subversions," explain why "Les Olympiades" is called a "city in a building." Describe one way the once distinct domestic and work spheres are made to overlap one another in "Les Olympiades." Describe one way the changes enacted in the "Les Olympiades" create and constitute new, hybrid identities for the people who inhabit and work in the building.
Yves Belorgey "Preparation de la Muraille de Chine en Vue de son explosion" (2000)Compare the transformations in "Les Olympiades" with Yves Belorgey's vision of post-industrial suburban public housing in "Preparation de la Muraille de Chine en Vue de son explosion" (2000) and "Destruction" video (2003). How do both "Les Olympiades" and Belorgey's work speak to the impact of processes of globalization on Western European urban centers?
Extra Credit
Finally, for extra credit towards your midterm take-home assignment (up to 3 points), write a brief paragraph (100-250 words) about any work in the exhibition that addressed an issue raised in our current era of globalization (immigration/anti-immigration debates, environmental sustainability, overpopulation, cultural hybridity, the impact of new communication and transportation technologies, economic disparity between the First and Third Worlds, labor, human rights, the "end" of the nation-state, etc.). You must provide the artist name, title of the work, and a brief description of the work.
The midterm review sheet is currently posted on the course D2L site.
Please write your name at the top of your response.
Sara Stearns
ReplyDeleteMigration and Art 309
Greene
Les Olympiades
The story of the building of Les Olympiades is truly a remarkable and an inspirational story. The French as part of an urban revitalization program built the building itself, originally. Not too soon after, however, the building was considered a failure. After the building was left vacant, a community of political refugees saw potential in this building, and made it what it is known a now, a city in a building. It is given this nickname for good reasons. Along with the housing that is in this building, there are restaurants, food distributors, temples, small workshops, as well as tradesman selling their goods. These are just a few examples of the resources available in this once hopeless building.
With these resources and community building upon itself, it creates an overlap of domestic and work spheres. One can live in this building, but yet have a true sense of community with their neighbors. People don’t just isolate themselves in their living space, instead they are able to have a sense of a strong community and see themselves in it. It gives each one of them a sense of pride. They come together to support one another in their businesses, and in elements such as the temples and small workshops. Everyone seems to care, support, and look out for one another and the community.
The changes that were made in the building helped to create new hybrid identities for the people that live there. A good example is of Wang Shixiong, whose French name is Phillippe Wang. He had a modest beginning, poor and not knowing the French language. With help from those of that community he was able to learn the language, and to find a place to live. He had a humble beginning, driving a truck and trying to get by. Later on, however, with help from friends he was able to open a restaurant. He goes on to say that he feels that you can find everything there, and can imagine never leaving at all. He quotes, “It’s like being in a small Asian city, only it is vertical. On each level you find different things.” This is a magnificent achievement from a building that everyone considered a hopeless failure.
Brianna Jaeger
ReplyDeleteLes Olympiades was built in 1974 and originally meant to attract young professionals for living and working. Shortly after it was completed, Vietnamese and Chinese residents soon started to inhabit the buildings. In the essay “A City in a Building: Paris Subversions it explains how the residents of the building make it their own city. It’s their place of work and their residence. One resident who lives there called it the “real Chinatown” in comparison to the main Chinatown in Paris. The people who own shops and restaurants in the building and live there have some of the most authentic ethnic cuisine and goods. Les Olympiades is a place where residents can connect to their culture, and with others who have similar backgrounds. It becomes a community rather than just a building and shopping place.
The painting by Yves Belorgy and Les Olympiades both show how globalization has effected on Western Europe urban centers. Les Olymipades was considered a failure after its initial purpose didn’t follow through. Refugees then started to inhabit the building and make it the city in the building as it is today. Les Olympiades is a place where refugees can come and get help from that community. It’s a place to start to just feel comfortable in the country. Les Olympiades is more successful functioning as what it is today than its original purpose.
Ismar Kulenovic
ReplyDeleteArt 309
Greene
Blog 3a
The French Project of Les Olympiades was mainly focused on urban reconstruction or revitalization. The buildings purpose was to help house a new young working force, professional or not. The building itself ended up failing to attract that type of community, but however a new community came in and made the best of the building now known as a city. The politically few now would start to use this building and make it work. This was mainly the Asian community and it thrived in this building. They used the building for living and also to start their businesses and trades shops. The building had everything from restaurants to clothing stores and other types of trades. The community in this building understood the usefulness of it and they all had mutual respect for one another and would look out for each other as well. This buildings new image now also helped to construct new identity and community that thrived. The individuals who live in this building also work there in their own stores from their own apartments, each floor had something new and different. A great quote by Phillipe Wang shows this city at work; “Its like being in a small Asian city, only its vertical”. This had a great sense of community and culture which also bonded the residents of Les Olympiades. Yves Belorgey had a painting known as; “Preparation de la Muraille de Chine en Vue de son explosion” which showed how a failed housing project failed and was demolished. You get a sense of globalization when you see such a diverse population in these buildings made for refugees and new folk to the city. The difference that I noticed was that Les Olympiades had more of the same cultured people, which is always a plus since you may relate easier that way.
Les Olympiades is a “city in a building” because of the occupation of the Asian communities and the changes that they made. All the requirements that a city needs to survive is consistent within the building itself. It has everything from a food market in the subterranean floors, to housing and worship in the tower blocks. One way the distinct domestic and work spheres are made to overlap is in the fact that everything someone would need besides education is in the building. Their domestic life with their families can be carried out by attending worship at one of the temples, going to restaurants, and shopping in the food market. In these same areas that they involve themselves in domestic life, they can also carry a fulltime job and trade goods. The changes enacted in “Les Olympiades” create new, hybrid identities for the Asiatic communities who inhabit and work in the building. Their identities would consist of their native Asian origins, and that of being a citizen to France. The stores and restaurants still have French and Asian clientele and so it is required to be bilingual for business purposes. With this, the French Asian identity is strong because of the amount of culture that they are introducing and upholding while maintaining a connection to the outside community.
ReplyDeleteBetween the “Les Olympiades” and "Preparation de la Muraille de Chine en Vue de son explosion" and "Destruction" video, “Les Olympiades” is one that tells the story of not destroying a failed real estate investment, but reviving it to something well beyond what the original architect’s plans. Yves Belorgey’s vision speaks of the impact of processes of globalization in his painting by using the increasing financial troubles and homeless people in the world and putting it in a scene that could be familiarized with any viewer to that of a rundown part of a city. Les Olympiades on the other hand speaks of immigration into other countries and the sharing over cultural diversity with their host country.
"Les Olympiades", or city in a building, is about the most literal way one can describe this space. It was interesting hearing about this building and others from the curator at the exhibit. I found it interesting because this way of life to me feels so foreign, that I really couldn't even imagine living like that unless I was forced to do so. This building, when first designed in 1974, was meant to house a specific demographic. These people would ideally be young people and to form some sense of a community. The intended future of this building never saw through and was left empty. After the building seemed like it would be useless some foreign politicians embraced the potential of this building and moved in. People followed and it was given the name "city within a building". It was a city because people lived there, ate there, worked there, conducted business there, worshiped there, shopped for food and clothing there, and went to school there. The city reminded me of the renderings we saw of the "floating city". This city might not be floating, but only a fraction of it is really touching the earth while the rest of the building rises up. This city is being built UP rather than OUT. These people can do everything (technically) they need to do in this "city" that anyone else could do in a normal city. This, to me, is a sad thing. There are things, priceless things, they cannot experience however unless they exit their city. Priceless things like enjoying sunshine, fresh air, being outside, seeing the sky, feeling grass and rain. People weren't meant to live in indoor cities. These people have created a hybrid identity in that they are no longer seen by the outside world as an ethnic or religious or political group, but now they are seen as the people who live in the city in the building. These immigrants are forming their own nations within the buildings walls. It is definitely a story about hope and restoration and finding life where there is none, but I cannot still help but think about how unfortunate the quality of life must be living inside days, weeks, maybe even months at a time in a single overcrowded building.
ReplyDeleteStefanie McLaren
ReplyDeleteArt 309
Greene
The history behind Les Olympiades is really amazing. Built in the 1970's by the State, the building was initially built to attract the urban middle class and could provide housing for 16, 000 people. Unfortunately, this plan failed because they failed to really consider all of the needs of their market. Therefore many of the apartments were left unoccupied. Fortunately, around 1974 a group of political refugees, primarily from Asia, became interested in using this space. It soon became an entire community, or as one could say 'a city in a building.' They set up an entire community by utilizing this once vacant building and setting up a large food market, restaurants, temples and workshops. It was like a city in itself because many of their necessities were right there in that space. It creates an overlap of domestic and work spheres because of that idea of community and how the people can live where they work, or have access to this larger 'city' within their residence. New identities are also created within this community by having all of these people from the same culture residing with one another, while still being part of the larger society of Paris outside of their residence.
Yves Belorgy's painting as well as the "Destruction" video both speak of the impact of globalization on Western European urban centers just like "Les Olympiades". However, I feel as though "Les Olympiades" is more about seeing the potential of these vacant spaces and utilizing these failures to create a new idea of community and identity. Whereas, it seems as though Yves Belorgey's work shows us these suburban housing projects in a way that we can relate to and it makes us think about this subject matter in a broader way than to narrow in on a particular building in a particular city. It kind of represents the idea of what "Les Olympiades" once was before it was revived.
EXTRA CREDIT Response:
One work in the exhibition that I found really intriguing was "One Square Meter House" by Didier Fiuza Faustino. His piece was a scale model of a vertical residence where one would climb a ladder upward to different modular rooms which branched off of the main tower. This work addresses the issue of globalization mainly when it comes to overpopulation. It is interesting to think that we can build cities up vertically because there is no limit, whereas when we build cities horizontally, as seen in many countries already, space becomes limited. People are forced to cram into small apartments and then they sometimes try to build out from their windows to create more space for their families. Although I can understand this idea, I personally think that one square meter of space is not a comfortable living space! The idea is really thought provoking though, I would love to see one of these in life size!
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe Les Olympiades contains various business within it; restaurants, stalls that sell refreshments, and workshops. Along with these businesses the building was adorned with a warehouse, a huge fridge and a parking lot underneath it all. It has everything a person could want or have when needed, all contained within a building. Residents live right on top of these businesses and some of the inhabitants of Les Olympiades probably own the business right under them. It is almost as if they are working from home. Having both home and work overlapping creates a tight community where more people have closer relationships and know one another on a deeper level. The Les Olympiades started as fifteen stories of living spaces created for middle class citizens, but failed and sat empty, looked down upon by surrounding neighbors. When refugees from Asia and Africa came the Les Olympiades welcomed them with open arms. They turned that area of Paris into their own community, installing their own beliefs and systems. When comparing Les Olympiades with"Preparation de la Muraille de Chine en Vue de son explosion" and "Destruction," All three buildings where once unoccupied and looked at as useless. The difference is that Les Olympiades was saved by the coming together of different cultures to form one community. Cultures came together to mix and absorbing one another. It was transformed into a city within a building, while the other two were transformed into rubble and dust.
ReplyDeleteDerek (DJ) Harris
ReplyDeleteArt 309 – Migration and Visual Art
Greene
“Les Olympiades” is truly something to marvel at. The history the structure has gone through to what it is today is quite incredible. Now it houses a small city in itself, with Chinese people living there. They transformed the building into what they call home, and the marketplace as well when the previous owners wrote it off, calling it inhabitable. The people who inhabit it now, transformed things like the parking lot into market places, while optimizing other spots for different uses. While people live there, they also work where they live. By doing all of this they create a cycle forming their own little city. It is definitely a new hybrid lifestyle since they live differently than everyone else does. They work, play, sleep, eat, etc all in the same place. They have taken our lifestyle, and miniaturized it.
There are some interesting comparisons between Yves Belorgey’s pieces and “Les Olympiades.” The most important one that stuck out at me, was the fact that both buildings shut off their inhabitants from the rest of the world. While one could say that “Les Olympiades” could be viewed as a success while the other, a failure, they do still have that common trait. The building in Belorgey’s pieces demonstrated what the negative impact could be for “Les Olympiades” or what it used to be before the reform. Both buildings crowded together a large amount of people forcing them to change their lifestyles as well.
E.C.
The piece that stood out to me the most at the exhibit was the Tatiana Trouve one. They all appeared to be suitcases at a far glance, but once I got closer, I realized they could be interpreted as houses. The houses were on wheels, and were semi transparent which gives me the feeling of globalization because of the free movement and inability to distinguish a nation for each one. All of them did have markings of sorts on them, but I could not tell what any of them meant or said. Because of this, I feel that there was a comment on identity. We all have an identity but that doesn’t make it any different than our neighbors. I liked a lot of other pieces, especially the ones that commented on life, death, transcendence, etc but I kept coming back to this one since I think it had the most to say.
"Les Olympiades," a building constructed for housing many middle class French people in a small area, however it was a project that had failed to bring in any clients. Once African and Asian refugees took notice of the abandoned building it became occupied by them. They turned the building "Les Olympiades" in to "city in a building." Not only were these refugees occupying the space for living, they were also working out of it as well. A community was then built within this building with stores, markets and shops. People conducted their business within the building, shopped for clothing or food and raised their children within this community. The people who lived in this community were in fact a part of two. One community was the "Les Olympiades" building were much time was spent, however they were also in fact a part of the French society as well. This form of dual communities would make this a hybrid identity. Yves Belorgey's "Preparation de la Muraille de Chine en Vue de son explosion" is very similar to that of "Les Olympiades" but with one fundamental difference. "Les Olympiades" was a success story of turning an abandoned building into something beautiful and useful, while "la Muraille" was demolished. Both these works speak of Globalization because both building are dealing with the fact that they are running out of space and are trying to squeeze people into smaller more compact areas. Globalization is also shown on how people reacted in both situations.
ReplyDeleteExtra Credit
Didier Fiuza Faustino's "One Square Meter House" addresses the issues of environmental sustainability and overpopulation. The "one square meter house" is a house in which it is only one square meter in area, however it has many floors and ends up being quite large. This idea illustrates the idea of a transportable house which enables the person to travel to different settings without leaving anything behind. Also it takes on the problem of overpopulation and sustainability by creating more space around us and building upwards where we have plenty of space.
Kevin M. Otto
ReplyDeleteArt 309
Section 502
"Les Olympiades" is called a "city in a building" because of the diversity of businesses within the building itself. It is self supporting and gives the people a sense of worth. A city is typically set up with buildings specializing in individual ventures for each structure. "Les Olympiades" is unique for not only the variety of businesses but for assisting each other in this new found community. This once considered failed project should stand as an example for other communities who have failing renovation projects. They need to look deeper into their communities for what is needed and for how they can help revitalize the area.
When comparing "Les Olympiades" with Yives Belorgey's work the community becomes the key to success or failure. The structure that Yives Belorgey painted was considered a failure because it treated the occupants like they were all the same. This cubical structure blocked people off from each other sectioning individuals off from one another, preventing a community from developing. The reason why such a structure like this was developed came into affect with attempting to produce cheaper living spaces on a global scale. Building identical living spaces allowed for cheaper construction but at the cost of something else. Each person was given their own little cubical home separated from the world around them. The reason that "Les Olympiades" was successful in the end is that people came together and interacted creating a more desirable home.
Extra Credit:
In the Spatial City exhibit the one piece that really brought up cultural hybridity was Robert Filliou's "Framework and Two Sticks". An empty frame with two supporting sticks illustrates the breakdown of boarders as globalization takes place. Within a nation people are able to identify themselves with that nation's flag but when an individual crosses into a multi-national identity they do not associate themselves with any particular nationality. The blending of these nations causes national borders to be transcended creating a new identity. This empty frame stands for a flag to represent the people who find themselves between borders. The mixing of cultures is what globalization creates, a blending of cultures creating a closer global community.
Julie Kolaga
ReplyDeleteArt309
Greene
“Les Olympiades” is called a “city in a building” because that is truly the best way to describe it. The rather large residential complex was built in the 1970’s and can house up to 16,000 people. It was originally intended for middle-class Parisians but many of the units remained vacant because it was no longer considered fit for the original target market. In 1974 a community of political refugees began to fill the vacancies. In time, the barren underground parking lots became busy market places and the vacant spaces above housed an entire cities worth of people. The overlap of living space and work space is a distinct characteristic of “Les Olympiades.” A real sense of community is developed through sharing these spaces, not just individually but also with each other. The people there live, work and socialize all within this area and all have a shared culture which creates a strong community bond. The changes made in “Les Olympiades” create new, hybrid identities for the people who inhabit and work in the building because they do not live like the rest of us. The people living in the “city in a building” do everything in one building or area. Their lifestyles are hybrid in the sense that their “city” is an adopted residential complex.
Both “Les Olympiades” and “Preparation de la Muraille de Chine en Vue de son explosion” show how globalization has impacted Western European urban centers. The changes we see over time in “Les Olympiades” are very positive and uplifting. It was once considered a failed real estate attempt but now it is more than just a home for the people living there. The giant painting “Preparation de la Murielle de Chine en Vue de son explosion” by Yves Belorgey’s and the video “Destruction” are an interesting combination. The painting is of an abandoned building and the video is of the building being demolished. The viewer is able to relate to this painting because anyone can relate to a bad part of town or an old ghostly building. It is a site that most people have seen or can relate to.
Extra Credit Response:
The piece that I found most interesting was titled “One Square Meter House,” by Didier Fiuza Faustino. The piece addresses a major issue that is raised on our current era of globalization: overpopulation. It is described to be a new housing idea that would accommodate inhabitants while taking up a small amount of ground space. The idea consisted of a vertical housing unit where one would climb different ladders to get from room to room. Each space/room was stacked on top of one another and some areas had rooms jutting out the sides to create even more space. I really enjoyed getting close to this piece and looking at each little room. Some of the rooms had nothing in them while others were easier to label. I think it was an interesting idea but I do not think it is very realistic.
Justin Beale
ReplyDeleteArt 309
Grenne
In the 1970’s the French state built a large residential apartment complex capable of accommodating 16,000 people as a part of the Urban Regeneration Program. Built originally to house French citizens at government-subsidized rates, the site failed to meet the needs of the targeted market. The building remained vacant for several years until political refugees from Southeast Asia began to show an interest in the complex because of lowered rates and the flexibility of the site. The refugee community soon realized that they were able to set up an entire community within this complex including a large underground food market, restaurants, apartments, and workshops. This community was able to literally create a city within a building, one could live, work, and shop in the complex and seemingly find no reason to ever need to leave. This idea of the city building is based in the combination of the domestic and work spheres, designed so the community member needs almost nothing from the world outside the complex. The refugees working and residing in “Les Olympiades” are creating a new kind of identity within the Parisian culture that is not defined by their ethnic backgrounds but the building itself, which has shaped this unique vertical community.
I believe that the “Destruction Video” (2003) and “Preperation de la Muraille de Chine en Vue de So Explosion” (2000) speak to the impact of globalization on western urban centers just as “Les Olympiades” does, implying positive and negative affects alike. “Les Olympiades” shows just how important globalization can be as the refugee population revitalizes the areas which the host culture seems to have discarded. While the video and painting by Yves Belorgey show the opposite and negative loss of space and money when a community like Paris does not take to the government sponsored space, coinciding with no external transnational interests in the site.
Nancy McManus
ReplyDeleteLes Olympiades, was built to house only residential upper class work force in Pais. However, when they found this new building to be unsuitable for the trendy Parisians it was original designed for a new group moved in. When the refugee and asylum-seeking immigrants from Asia moved into the building they found a great deal of space in the building unused. What is truly remarkable is the immigrants’ ability to take empty unused space and use them in a way that was not considered a use of the space when the building was originally built.
The truly fascinating thing about this city within a building is that it creates a homogeneous environment in which the immigrating culture is maintained with in the walls of the building. This kind of environment could raise several issues of cultural clashing as well as possible xenophobia, on both the part of the immigrating culture and the ‘native culture’. This kind of cultural island, could create very unique culturally identified individuals, ones that could both adapt the new culture and maintain the old as well.
Globalization in Western Eupropean urban centers could create new jobs, new opportunities and be beneficial for all as it appears to be in Les Olympiades. When it comes to Belorgey’s work, it shows the less attractive sides to global migrations in cities, "Preparation de la Muraille de Chine en Vue de son explosion" (2000) and "Destruction" video (2003) , is an example of what the buildings cities build in order to house the “less advantaged” can become. It reflects negative attitudes on the part of the native culture on those that move in.
Extra Credit
Tatiana Trouve- Fantom
I think her creation of modular spaces with reference to home is quite powerful. She creates a mobile, personal space in which one can maintain and move as needed. The shape and size referencing luggage and the portability they possess. These ideas of mobility and compact size play very successfully into the ideas of migrant people needing to be able to move. She continues this dialogue by her use of materials, she uses scotch tape and thread to create a home out of a commonly used readily available materials.
Adam Kruschke
ReplyDeleteMigration and Art 309
Greene
The story behind Les Olympiades is something very unique, and special. This building was built in the 1970's to house middle-class individuals, but the project failed due to several different reasons. The residents moved out to other parts of the city leaving it abandoned. Immigrants from Asia and Africa 'rediscovered' this building and starting their own community within it's walls. Stores, shops, restaurants, etc. were all created here to service those who lived and worked there. By creating this functional micro society it proves the ability to adapt to our environment. These people came in with barely anything, and were able to establish themeselves. With the overlapping of home and work they have made an efficent city in a building. Although these individuals are much closer to their ' community' due to working and living within one space, they are also a part of the larger community outside of the buildings. I feel that sort of tight community can be beneficial, and create a stronger foundation for people to live off of. The Yves Belorgy piece shows how communities are affected by globalization. These projects were deemed failures and while one building was destroyed and the space was recreated, Les Olympiades took a similar route without the cost and cleanup of a mass destruction. For that alone I feel that Les Olympiades is a success story, and the diverse people who live there successful.