Elizabeth de Portzamparc: Leading Architects

Description

In her work as architect and urbanist, French-Brazilian Elizabeth de Portzamparc designs buildings to serve as architectural symbols that are supporting what her practice sees as new values and as powerful urban landmarks that skilfully structure and inhabit the places where they are built. Applying her thinking and experience on the identity of cities and metropolises, de Portzamparc designs facilities that strengthen the qualities of the context into which they are inserted. With a sober, light, and streamlined architecture, based on the lightening of masses and on the economy of forms and materials, privileging the use of spaces with double exposure and a strong relation with nature, they create an atmosphere, conveying easily identifiable collective values and open dialog with the urban surroundings. Through her dual sociological and architectural approach, de Portzamparc combines the requirements of the social, urban, and ecological scope with construction of optimal forms, a coherent approach that is legible on every scale of her work. Her projects are characterized by their innovative flexibility, architectural layouts designed to foster sociability on the scales of both the building and the city, giving much importance to the total spatial interconnections. This monograph, a collector's volume within IMAGES' renowned Leading Architects Series, showcases the extraordinary work of this brilliant Paris-based architect. Elizabeth de Portzamparc's award-winning designs are beautifully presented throughout, with lavish full-colour photography and intricate, detailed drawings that help to illuminate her process and international achievements across a wide range, including architecture, interiors, and urban planning projects, as well as design objects, museography and scenographic works. SELLING POINTS: Renowned architectural writer Philip Jodidio examines in great detail the work of this unique practitioner, and captures the wholly original approach of Elizabeth de Portzamparc throughout her long career, and the far-reaching influences upon international contemporary discourse across architecture, art, and design. . Elizabeth de Portzamparc's most significant projects are featured, divided into urban planning, architecture and design themes. . The work is presented with spectacular full-colour photography, detailed plans and diagrams, accompanied by informative texts that illuminate on de Portzamparc's methodologies, process and execution. . Key projects featured in this book: a wide range of housing projects; many urban planning works, such as the seafront extension in Monaco and an eco-neighbourhood; mixed-use tower buildings and 5-star hotels; plus a section on interior architecture for national museums, major business headquarters, and international embassies. 280 colour images

Born in Rio de Janeiro, Elizabeth de Portzamparc spent her youth there, following the Frank Schaeffer art workshop before coming to France to complete her studies. In France, she completed urban sociology studies (Master Degree, then DEA, with Paul-Henri Chombart de Lawe), before orientating her professional activities towards town planning in the Paris urban district from 1977 to 1980, and she taught at the Architecture School of Paris-La-Seine between 1982 and 1987. She created her own agency in 1987. Today, among other realisations, major architectural projects have been launched: the iconic railway station of Le Bourget, the Grand Documentary Equipment of Aubervilliers, the Musee de la Romanite in Nimes, and projects for cultural facilities, building for hotels or houses in France, Brazil, Morocco, China and the United States. Through her involvement with the Grand Paris International Workshop, she is pursuing her research on the identity of places, started 30 years ago and playing a key role in the reflection and discussion on the construction of a metropolis. In the same context, she is conducting pioneering proposals for flexible, sustainable housing, for mixed-use or prefabricated.