The stranger in the field

The landscape around the small village of Saint-Langis-lès-Mortagnein theFrenchregion of Normandy is tranquil. Gentle hills, small groups of trees, ponds, green meadows and farmland dominate the scenery. But near the village, in the vicinity of an old farmhouse, an unexpected foreign object disturbs this tranquil idyll. A series of volumes, constantly offset and covered with a black rubber membrane, protrude from the ground. The studio designed by Didier FiúzaFaustino for the artist Jean-LucMoulèneis both introverted and spectacular. An outpost for theFrenchconceptual artist was created here on 365 square meters away from the hustle and bustle of Paris. The special architecture bears the name “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly”.

Faustino does not limit himself to architecture alone. Rather, he moves between the formal and conceptual boundaries of architecture, design and art. His portfolio includes installationsas well as films, sculptures, editorial projects and temporary architecture. The designer, who is based between Paris and Lisbon, could therefore be called a jack-of-all-trades with a clear conscience. The sociologist and art historian Per Pelin Tan describes Faustino’s work as follows: “Didier FiúzaFaustino‘sworks transcend borders of society, design, art, and architecture by focusing on and investigating themes related to dwellings for survival, provoking the extension of bodies and design, taking the experience of a form as a queering phenomenological experience, and tuning between architectural desire and the borders of design.”

For Faustino, thebodyis always at the center of all concerns at the beginning of the design process. The massive volumes of the artist’s studio near Saint-Langis-lès-Mortagn also seek a conscious dialog with thebodiesthat inhabit the space, while positioning themselves as bodies in the Normandy nature that surrounds them. At the beginning, Faustino closely studied the work processes of his client – and friend – Jean-LucMoulène. For example, he draws early in the morning, then starts working on models at around 9 a.m. and follows a certain choreography throughout the day. “So my point was to create a space that allows him to adapt his trajectories according to his needs,” Faustino explains his response to this temporal and spatial timing.

The architect developed a precise and minimal language around gesture, work and creation, with the aim of best meeting the needs of the artist. His various production methods, the use of certain tools, the scale of hand and machine – all of these were ultimately aspects that Faustino incorporated into his design. In addition to the workspaces, he also designed a series of more intimaterooms that invite people to reflect and relax. Viewed from the outside, the building consists of a series of identical volumes. Each of these volumes has a translucent sloping roof facing north.

Inside, the building is dominated by a 265 square meter open space on the floor with a ridgeheight of 8 meters. This is intersected in an east-west direction by an axis in which the entrance and access to a mezzanine floor are located. The raised plateau offers a further 100 square meters of living space. The materiality is restrained. Faustino has reduced the structure to the essentials – in this case to an ultimate place for creative practice. Walls and roofs consist of prefabricated wooden plinths fixed to a reinforced concrete slab and covered with a waterproof black rubber membrane. This uniform matt black skin turns the building into a shadow on the outside. The light interiors contrast with the dark façade. The large windows and light-colored wood paneling make the interior seem to glow.

One key aspect is the use of light. After all, it is not only essential for every human being, but also an indispensable tool for an artist in particular. Faustino has developed a lighting concept that works with natural and artificial sources. The internal effect is just as important as the external effect. At night, the studio with its large open windows is visible from afar. With “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly”, Didier FiúzaFaustino has created minimalist architecture that nevertheless – or perhaps precisely because of this – makes a big impression. It is a special place of contrasts and contradictions that are at the same time in harmony.