The Seeing City by Studio Other Spaces

With their team from Studio Other Spaces, Olafur Eliasson and Sebastian Behmann have designed a kaleidoscope-like structure in Paris called The Seeing City. The permanent installation transports Parisian street life to the roof. Find out more about the project on the Paris prefecture converted by David Chipperfield Architects here.

The Seeing City is a site-specific artistic installation in Paris by Studio Other Spaces. The permanently installed artwork is located on the top two floors of the former Préfecture de Paris on Boulevard Morland. Where the Préfecture and later parts of the city administration were once housed, there is now a public campus, social housing, luxury apartments, a hotel and a youth hostel. None other than this year’s Pritzker Prize winner David Chipperfield is in charge of the conversion of the existing building and the result of the mixed-use concept. The installation by Studio Other Spaces at this location is part of the larger Morland Mixité Capitale project, which aims to create a revitalized cosmopolitan center.

Studio Other Spaces’ work consists of a mirrored ceiling on the 15th floor and a kaleidoscopic ceiling on the 16th floor that appears to merge into the sky. This creates an immersive optical effect that seems to transport the street life of Paris onto the roof and into the interior spaces. Meanwhile, the mirrors reflect the activities in the interior spaces back onto the city below.

According to Studio Other Spaces, the mirrored ceiling on the 15th floor is intended to dematerialize the space. The mirrors, which extend from the outside to the inside, allow the Seine and the streets of Paris to float above the visitor’s head. This creates the impression of an upside-down city that is always in motion. The visual qualities change depending on the light and weather conditions, river and traffic, as well as the movements of the visitors.

From the street, viewers get a glimpse of the 15th floor, which would normally be opaque. From the surrounding buildings, The Seeing City also provides insights. In this way, the architects blur the boundary between the interior and the city.

On the 16th floor of the building, rows of kaleidoscope boxes line the glass façades. On two opposite sides of the building, there are four mirrored glass panes that serve as a kaleidoscope. The side facing Quai Saint-Bernard faces the Seine, while the side facing Boulevard Morland looks out over the cityscape. The sides of the boxes are reflective at the top and transparent at the bottom. This creates an individual, faded pattern that also creates a seamless transition between reflective and transparent surfaces. The kaleidoscope boxes also have clear glass domes and are open at the bottom. This creates the impression that the sky above them falls into the interior of the box.

This cross-fading effect in The Seeing City merges the panoramic view of the city with the kaleidoscopic sky. Inside and outside are fragmented and reassembled, with an infinite number of new permutations possible depending on the perspective. This effect is then continued on the outer surface of the glass. It is also visible from the surrounding streets. In calm weather, the work seems to disappear into the sky. At sunrise and sunset, the reflection is very different from the surrounding sky and creates a contrast. According to Studio Other Spaces, this creates a “delicate lighthouse” that is recognizable but still blends harmoniously into the cityscape.

The Seeing City was created for the client Société Parisienne du Nouvel Arsenal (SPNA) in Paris. The building on Boulevard Morland was renovated and modified between 2015 and 2022 with the collaboration of David Chipperfield Architects and Calq Architecture. Studio Other Spaces was responsible for the roof installation, which was planned together with the building. This was awarded first prize for “Réinventer Paris” and a prize for innovative new development at the Grand Prix SIMI 2022.

Commenting on the artwork, Studio Other Spaces said that The Seeing City visually reinterprets the existing building rather than replacing original structures with something completely new. The project thrives on its immaterial qualities. It aims to connect people to their everyday context in a surprising and dynamic way, both from the building and from the boulevard.

The architectural experience above the rooftops of Paris has been very well received. On floors 15 and 16 of the building is the Bonnie restaurant with bar and club, where visitors can enjoy refreshments.

Don’t miss it: Our special with Studio Other Spaces will be published in May. In advance, you can find out more about the founders of Studio Other Spaces, Olafur Eliasson and Sebastian Behmann, here.