Tadao Ando Meditation Space (UNESCO Paris)

Almost a year ago Phaidon approached me to ask if they could use a photograph I'd taken of the Tadao Ando Meditation space at UNESCO Paris, for a book they were publishing entitled 'Concrete.' Of course I said yes.

It was a very nice surprise to receive a copy of this book the other morning. It collates a selection of architecture projects where concrete has been used as the principal building material. It is a gorgeous book that illustrates the versatility and beauty of concrete in architecture. Here is 'my' page.

The Tadao Ando Meditation Space at UNESCO Paris was built in 1995 to celebrate the 50 year anniversary of the institution. It is an abstract space symbolising spiritual freedom.

Tadao Ando is a Japanese architect born in Osaka Japan in 1941. Apparently he never had a formal education in architecture but started out as a carpenter between the ages of 10 and 17. He also worked for a while as a truck driver and a boxer. However, by his late teens he had already developed a passionate interest in architecture and visited many Japanese temples, tea houses and shrines gathering inspiration and knowledge which he enhanced further by reading many books on the subject. In his early twenties he travelled to the United States, Europe and Africa and developed a fascination with the work of Le Corbusier and Mies van der Rohe. The influence of Le Corbusier on Tadao Ando's work goes without question.

I've worked as a consultant at UNESCO since 1996. During the summer months I would often picnic in the Japanese Gardens that form part of the UNESCO complex and then meander through the Tadao Ando meditation space on my way to get a post lunch coffee. 

I would always pause as I passed through the concrete drum, and look up. I think you can see why!

Here is a view from the street.

You can see the Eiffel Tower peeking out from behind.

The main building at UNESCO was designed by architect Marcel Breuer.

Tadao Ando's architecture represents the beauty of simplicity, while often including circulation paths from one space to another, using natural light to enhance and contrast solids and voids.

Here is a blog post I wrote on a Le Corbusier building I visited in India, The Mill Owners' Association Building, Ahmedabad).

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UNESCO
7, Place de Fontenoy
75007 Paris
Metro: Ségur, Cambronne, Ecole militaire
Bus: 28, 80

To visit UNESCO, please write to visits@unesco.org

Grey

So our sublime Indian summer seems to be officially over. Hours huddled on park benches watching the kids play in the freezing cold loom ahead. Suddenly it's cold...and grey. Sigh.

I thought it was fitting to gather together a 'grey' collection. Actually this dog I saw a few weeks ago - in the glorious sunshine - first made me think of a grey series. This dog, assuming he's still alive (snoozing on a zebra crossing in Paris is not advisable) is huge.

(excuse the 'modesty patch' - idea taken from Dooce - it's for the best)

The Sacré Cœur changes colour with the seasons, from bright white on a hot summer day, to blanc cassé on a sunny winter's day, to grey...on a...grey day.


Here's some delectable grey decay.


A balloon.

A flying horse.


A shop front.


The grey concrete of the Tando Ando meditation space at UNESCO is a lovely soothing grey.


These trees down by the Champs-Elysées are amazing. Look at those wrinkles. I imagine elephant knees probably look like this.




I always feel melancholy at this time of year. I think this guy I saw last week knew the weather was going to change soon.

Please...take a seat

Parisian park chairs and benches are an important and enduring symbol of the City of Lights. 

Perhaps most notable are the green chairs to be found in the Jardin Luxembourg or the Jardin des Tuilleries. They sometimes gather together in clusters...

...or on their own.

I saw these in the Merci Concept Store, the Parisian park chair has become a sought after trendy icon.

Here is a bench in the Parc de Bercy, the very pale mint green is unusual for a Paris park bench.

More benches in the park below the Sacré Cœur.

Periodically a park bench will disappear and return a week later, freshly painted. I think this may happen to these quite soon.

Here are two chairs in the Tando Ando Meditation Space at UNESCO. 

Artists' chairs on the Place de Tertre.

Shiny chairs at Parc de la Villette.

And then of course there are the infamous Parisian café chairs. 

Red ones. With snow

Without snow.

Red and black.

Light brown.

Middle brown.

Dark brown.

Turquoise.

And of course, rainbow chairs as seen stacked outside the L'Eté en Pente Douce cafe just to the east of the Sacré Cœur.