SKIN / Growing Old Together
To complement the limestone of the Roman theatre at Arles, the choice was made to use wood – Siberian larch . . .
. . . for the outer layer of the new structures, and not only because of its technical specifications (density, rot resistance, suitability for mobile and collapsible parts). It also reflects an aesthetic decision as well as a design challenge to work with both difference and fusion over time: as it develops a patina with the passing years, larch wood takes on an almost mineral gray tone.
This association of materials would not be complete without the contemporary tension contributed by the smoothness and the regular pattern of aluminium slats. The use of aluminium and wood is unconventional in Provencal and Mediterranean architectural norms; yet this envelope, that is both unfinished and sophisticated at the same time, is ready to grow old with the stone.
