The Village Charlot Gazebo
A lightweight Mediterranean-inspired structure
At the heart of the Village Charlot’s Jardin des Légendes, we present a contemporary gazebo designed as a space for gathering and sharing. This light architectural form reinterprets the Mediterranean tradition of garden pavilions to create a living space, where vegetation thrives and provides a small island of coolness.
A space of hospitality and dialogue
This reinterpretation is rooted in a reflection on Mediterranean hospitality. The light, almost airy structure enters into dialogue with Marc Barani’s architecture and the landscape designed by Nicolas Gilsoul. Like traditional village squares, the gazebo becomes a space where community is woven daily.
Resonant materials and sensory atmosphere
The integration of boxwood bead curtains – a traditional Provençal element – creates a distinct sonic ambiance. These natural curtains, combined with the structure’s greenery, generate a refreshing microclimate, allowing for comfortable use throughout the day.
A spatial manifesto for the right to the city
The gazebo embodies the right to the city by offering an open shelter where anyone can linger, affirming extended presence as a legitimate use. It expresses the vision of the Village Charlot: to create connections rather than possessions, offering a space where anyone can find their place – to read, to exchange, to learn, or simply to be.
The Faïsses · Mobile Space
A flexible plaza serving the community
The Faïsses – a set of around thirty blocks made of expanded cork – form a mobile plaza, a space that continuously reconfigures itself to meet the needs and desires of the community.
Multiple and evolving configurations
This spatial reversibility allows for a wide range of configurations: in a circle for group discussions, creating a contemporary agora; in tiers for performances and presentations; as a forecourt or pedestal for public events; as scattered islands for rest and contemplation; or in parallel lines for workshops and educational activities.
A participatory and living space
Each setup generates its own atmosphere and potential for social interaction. The mobility of the elements turns users into co-creators of the space. Moving the Faïsses becomes a collective gesture, a choreography that materializes the evolving and participatory nature of the place.
Coexistence with Bats
Inter-species diplomacy at the heart of the Gloriette
At the heart of the Gloriette, bat shelters embody an “inter-species diplomacy,” where architecture acts as a mediator between different forms of life sharing the same territory.
An ethical and ecological commitment
Against the backdrop of a red alert on the decline of bat populations in the PACA region, these protected spaces integrated into the structure respond to both ethical and ecological imperatives.
Mediterranean hospitality and urban biodiversity
This architectural hospitality echoes the Mediterranean tradition of welcome that defines Beausoleil. All bat species in the region are protected and recognized as valuable allies: they naturally regulate mosquito populations and help maintain urban biodiversity.
A living educational tool
The installation becomes a living educational tool. Observing the nocturnal comings and goings of these flying mammals provides a concrete lesson on natural cycles and the importance of preserving habitats for urban wildlife.
A concrete architectural responsibility
This attention to vulnerable species translates into architectural responsibility, implemented with technical precision in the design of the shelters. The Gloriette thus makes a tangible statement of an ethic of coexistence.
Boxwood Bead Curtain
A reimagined solar tradition
The boxwood bead curtains echo the rich tradition of solar screens on the Riviera. This light architecture, seen from Italian palaces to Côte d’Azur villas, embodies a Mediterranean art of living where mastery of light and air supports a kind of everyday poetry.
A natural choreography
At the slightest breeze, the wooden beads come alive with a distinctive rustling sound that recalls the movement of leaves.
This natural choreography creates a play of shifting shadows, delicately filtering the intense southern light just like the region’s traditional pergolas.
A Mediterranean and durable material
The choice of boxwood, a Mediterranean species found in the historical gardens of the Riviera, reflects an ecological approach. Its dense, resilient wood ensures natural durability, while its surface gracefully weathers over time, blending seamlessly with the noble materials of the Village Charlot.
