04. Bleu désir
Of all bird species, the Australian family of bowerbirds (Ptilonorhynchidae) is certainly the one with the most researched seduction technique, a technique which is very similar to garden design. The satin bowerbird (Ptilonorhynchus violaceus) builds a “bower” to attract a mate. To make it look attractive, the bird decorates it with objects carefully selected for their colour, its favourite colour being its own, blue.
What better an inspiration for a garden than that of this lover’s technique? This garden has taken inspiration from several aspects: from the bird’s intention (to seduce using a plethora of blue shades), from the organisation of the garden, from the materials used (natural and artificial), and from the bird’s strategy in collecting the items (recycled objects, gathering zone). The layout of the garden is concentric, just like that of the satin bowerbird’s bower. Forced perspective is created along the main alleyway which becomes narrower until it leads to a clearing, where the blue objects are displayed, both natural and artificial. The nest of twigs becomes a large trellis made from metal and wood, that decorates the far side of the garden, and whose shrouding and welcoming curved shapes isolate the visitor from the rest of the world. The objects are laid out in a circular shape, sorted by colour and size and displaying a plethora of blue shades. Just as the satin bowerbird uses a multitude of objects, we can do the same by recycling unused objects to design something new and original. Next to the blue flowers and leaves, in this forest clearing surrounded by the undergrowth, the presence of these objects raises the issue of rubbish in the natural environment, while showcasing these somewhat rare shades of blue.
DESIGNERS
Jean Robaudi has been working as a self-employed state-registered landscaper and gardener for 5 years. He graduated from the École Nationale Supérieure de Paysage in Versailles in 2016 and then worked on varied projects, from creating private gardens, to producing landscape analyses for plots of land. Either in the field or at the drawing table, he works alone or as a team on showcasing the dynamics of living things. Working in the field as a gardener helps him in designing spaces because he can test his ideas out for himself. Through his own work and through joint projects with all the trades involved in land development, he aims to create eco-friendly projects that are perfectly in line with the resources and needs of each site.
Ken Novellas is a state-registered landscaper, urban planner and post-doctoral Landscape researcher. After studying in Marseille and Nice, he created the PUYA Paysage agency in Marseille with three other colleagues and he now leads research projects and contracting through this agency. In October 2019, he began a PhD on a project research programme with the École Universitaire de Recherche 'Humanités, Création, Patrimoine' at the Université de Cergy-Pontoise in partnership with the Laboratoire de Recherche en Projet de Paysage and the École Nationale Supérieure de Paysage. For his thesis, he experimented with new ways of developing the coastline in light of climate change, and he studied a hybrid approach that combines landscaping and biomimicry (IFS).
Adèle Justin is a state-registered landscaper and urban planner. She graduated from the École Nationale Supérieure de Paysage in Versailles-Marseille in 2018. She began to take an interest in land development a few years earlier when she studied urban management in Aix-en-Provence. While studying at the École Nationale Supérieure de Paysage, she came across various topics linked to land development, including unsealing urban soils and adding value to agricultural landscapes. At the same time, she designed private gardens. In 2019, she joined the SETEC International design office to work on integrating big transport infrastructure into landscapes.
Abel Flosi has been passionate about visual arts, botany and gardens since a young age. He decided to pursue an education in the agricultural sector in order to become a state-registered landscaper. After obtaining a farming baccalaureate in Marseille and then studying landscaping in Antibes, he joined the École Nationale Supérieur d’Architecture et de Paysage in Bordeaux. He also studied for a period at the Hanoi Architectural University in Vietnam. In 2016, he graduated as a state-registered landscaper. He joined forces with Johanna Bonella, a state-registered landscaper, to create the Lieux 10 landscaping workshop. From then on, the two landscapers worked together on projects and competitions, and often worked in partnership with architects and other landscapers.
Johanna Bonella grew up in the countryside in the small village of Fayence. Growing up in this part of rural France gave her a true passion for nature and gardens. From the age of 14, she worked every summer with gardening companies, either in the plant nurseries, or on the creation and upkeep of gardens. From this manual and physically demanding work, she learnt about the core of the landscaping trade and was always willing to get her hands dirty, experiment, create and learn from this experience. After studying landscaping in Antibes, she joined the École Nationale Supérieur d’Architecture et de Paysage in Bordeaux. During her studies, she also went to the Leeds School of Architecture in Great Britain. She graduated as a state-registered landscaper in 2016 and joined forces with Abel Flosi to create the Lieux 10 agency.
