INITIAL RESEARCH: ATELIERS JEAN NOUVEL- MONAD TERRACE

                                 JEAN NOUVEL- MONAD TERRACE

This post is mainly an expansion of my previous post regarding my idea generation. The Social Housing sector demands precision and the ability to experiment with varying ideas. Hence, this task I would say was coincidentally given to me to challenge me and pull me out of my comfort zone. 

For this blog, I will conduct research into Jean Nouvel who was and still is one of the most influential and creative Architects France birthed. 

JEAN NOUVEL 

Jean Nouvel was born in the year 1945 in Fumel, France. After he enrolled at the Ecol des Beaux-Arts in Bordeaux, he obtained the first position in the entrance exam due to his high intellect and intelligence in the year 1966. He then went on to further his undergraduate studies and obtained his degree in the year 1971.  He began his professional career in 1970 after he became an assistant to Claude Parent and was inspired by urban planner and essayist Paul Virilio.

He then became one of the founding fathers of the " Mars 1976" Movement which served the motive of opposing the Architects corporatism. He also became the founder of the French Architecture Union.

Jean Nouvel took the world stage by storm due to his confident and strong positions as well as his persuasive comments on contemporary architecture in the urban context as well as his undenying ability to infuse authenticity into all his operations has given him an authentic and exclusive image amongst all other Architects internationally. 

Three of the most prestigious awards in the world were given to him in 2001: the Borromini Prize for the Culture and Conference Center in Lucerne, the Premium Imperial of the Fine Arts Association of Japan, and the Royal Gold Medal of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). In 2002, the Royal College of Art in London bestowed him the title of Docteur Honoris Causa. After three years, he was awarded the annual Wolf Foundation prize in Israel "for redefining the dialectic between the two salient characteristics of contemporary architecture: concreteness and ephemerality and providing a new model of contextualism." In 2008, Jean Nouvel was awarded the esteemed Pritzker Prize. He has won numerous honours in France, including two "Équerres," the Gold Medal from the French Academy of Architecture, two “Équerres d’Argent” and the National Grand Prize for Architecture.

Jean Nouvel experiments with different styles of Architecture and designs that blend or stand out in the environment of the building and that is what sets him aside from the rest. Some of his notable works are 

 Arab World Institute, the Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain and the musée du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac in Paris (France), Culture and Convention Centre – KKL in Lucerne (Switzerland) amongst others.

All of these projects are of unique and exquisite design but my blog will be based on two of his most notable residential suites. 

MONAD TERRACE- MIAMI 

Monad Terrace was Jean Nouvel's first project in Miami and as always he had to show out and create a stunning and unique masterpiece. This project which consisted of four penthouses was completed in the year 2021 and was opened to the general public. It is located in Miami on South Beach located directly at the seafront which gives it a beautiful landscape. At first glance, it looks to be a mix of ultramodern architecture with a natural environment because of the presence of vine plants on each floor of the buildings. The buildings have a beautiful facade which morphs into the existing sea and the natural environment to spurt out a levelled design that complements the beautiful landscape of South Beach.

The most sophisticated aspect of the Monad Terrace is that it's the first building in South Beach to be constructed above West Avenue''s height. All the interior environs and individual garages are well above the flood plains which makes the residential suites less likely to succumb to flooding 

The 59 coastline residences in the building, four of which are penthouses, are shielded by native vine-growing climbing gardens and high-tech screens. The building, known as "the reflection machine," aims to creatively control the interaction of light and water via reflecting pools to bounce dappled light deep into each living space(Stevens 2017). Furthermore, the central lagoon and adjacent swimming pool enhance a sense of continuity with Biscayne Bay. 

Apartments range from two to five bedrooms, with ample indoor and outdoor living space. The building offers amenities such as an in-house concierge, a sun deck with a 116-foot swimming pool and hot tub viewing Biscayne Bay, valet parking, a cafe and juice bar, a wellness centre, and a bicycle and water sports storage area. Penthouse dwellings feature exclusive swimming pools on roof decks. 

     HOW IS THE MONAD TERRACE RELEVANT TO MY PROJECT AND THE MAIN INSPIRATION

                                                                 A STEP-BY-STEP BREAKDOWN

First of all, as I said earlier on in this post and previous blogs my project for this term in Art Portfolio is a social housing unit for the people in Cromwell as most of them lost their homes to a wildfire. I chose Jean Nouvel as my inspiration because he is known for merging sustainability with sophisticated Architecture to create an exquisite outcome. In the case of the Monad Terrace, it is evident that Jean Nouvel took into consideration the surroundings of the project to create a project plan. That is also what I intend to do for the Horizon Tower in Cromwell. In this day and age where Climate change is rampant as a future Architect implementing environmentalism in my projects is a great way to make a change in the environment even though it may be minimal. Most of the trees in Cromwell have been burnt and destroyed hence planting trees and other plants on the landscape as well as having plants on each floor will be a way to restore the environment through a gradual process. 

OUTDOOR TERRACE- MONAD TERRACE

As you can see in the picture above, it is one of the exclusive terraces for an apartment of the Monad Apartments. It has a vertical terrace space where families can enjoy the outdoor space and scenery. There is also a mini swimming pool but in the case of the Horizon Tower, because tenants will take residency at a subsidized price, there will not be extra perks that will come with certain suites. Monad Terrace is a luxury apartment which is the reason why certain suites have more luxurious amenities. With Horizon Tower, residents will be provided with a large outdoor pool and relaxation area where everyone can relax and socialize. 

PENT HOUSE- MONAD TERRACE

As can be seen in the picture it is an open floor plan which creates more space and gives easier circulation for larger families. Top-notch interior with a blend of a minimalistic style and ultra-modern architecture elevate the overall look of the room. As Jean Nouvel said in his interview regarding present-day Architecture, most people neglect the interior of rooms and mainly focus on the exterior. He also added on by saying Architecture is an art and has to be seductive and aesthetic to attract people. Would you want to invest millions of dollars into a bland and boring-looking apartment? Of course not. Architecture must elude you as an individual to not only exist in the space but also be awe-struck with admiration anytime you glance at the interior or exterior of the building. As a future Architect, I do not want to follow the norms but would rather want to break away and create beautiful and attractive spaces for people to reside in. The Horizon Tower is going to redefine the Cromwell landscape and make it a euphoric site to behold. 


                    

                                                                     OUTDOOR POOL- MONAD TERRACE

After conducting all this research I realized that Monad Terrace is a spitting image of what I want Horizon Tower to be beside the fact that Monad Terrace is situated in a coastal zone. Similarities are:

 Climbing gardens of native plants and flowers for privacy and shade
Central infinity-edge lagoon with sun decks
24-hour security with attended lobby
sun deck with 116-foot swimming pool and hot tub
Fitness centre
Residents’ lounge
Building bicycles and paddle boards
Storage for bicycles and water sports equipment
Personalized concierge services

2, 3 and 4 bedroom  layouts

( MiamiLuxuryHomes 2024) 

I initially selected the Monad Terrace randomly but realized along the way that it was no coincidence that this was my major inspiration. I wish Cromwell was a coastal city, but besides that, the objectives I have planned for the Horizon  Tower are similar to what Jean Nouvel has achieved. I will therefore endeavour to accomplish my project with high efficiency to make it have a stunning and eye-catching outcome. 

The main features of the Monad Terrace can be seen above but I will reinstate these features for clarity purposes. 

The inclusion of plants on each floor to create a natural yet modern environment will be included in my design

The creation of an open floor space for socializing and leisure will be included in my design.

Monad Terrace has open floor plans with exquisite interiors as well as minimalistic and ultra-modern furnishing. This will also be implemented in the creation of the Horizon Tower. 

                   To delve into the world of Jean Nouvel, I included this video below in my blog. 

To sum up, the main inspiration I took from the Monad Terrace was the exterior and interior design which blends ultra-modern living with a green environment which I stated above. Monad Terrace is a luxury residential Area whereas Horizon Tower will be a social housing space built to cater for people who lost their properties to the wildfires. Therefore, residents will not pay extravagant prices to reside at the Horizon Tower. 

REFERENCES 

Stevens, P. (2018) Jean Nouvel plans ‘Monad Terrace’ residences for Miami Beach, designboom. Available at: https://www.designboom.com/architecture/jean-nouvel-monad-terrace-miami-beach-residences-10-18-2017/ (Accessed: 14 April 2024).

Anonymous (2024a) Monad terrace condo sales & rentals: South beach condos, Miami Luxury Homes. Available at: https://www.miamiluxuryhomes.com/monad-terrace-condos-miami-beach/ (Accessed: 14 April 2024).

Hernandez , F. (2019). Jean Nouvel, el arquitecto de la polémica y la innovación. [Online Image] centrourbano. Available at: https://centrourbano.com/arquitectura-2/jean-nouvel-polemica-innovacion/ [Accessed 14 Apr. 2024].

Miami Residential Group (2017) Monad Terrace South Beach by Jean Nouvel, YouTube. Available at: https://youtu.be/cG65iJEdt7U?si=8E7g1uTyojsO0ODP (Accessed: 14 April 2024).