Christophe Benichou designs extreme balconies for extreme climbers

2019-12-06T18:12:00-05:00

The Verdon Gorge is one of the most popular climbing destinations in France. As climbers ascend the limestone cliff walls of the canyon they are able to look down upon the Verdon River that shoots through the void. With over 1,000 feet to scale, climbers are likely to want a place to rest and regroup along the way. That's where Christophe Benichou Architectures comes in.

Verdon Balconies. All renderings via Christophe Benichou Architectures

Called Verdon Balconies, the group has conceived a theoretical resting space for climbers of the gorge. "At the heart of this vertical universe, suspended platforms offer a welcome horizontal rest. They can welcome climbers for a simple break or for the night, basically sheltered from the wind and the falls of stone," the studio writes about the project. The structures are entirely metallic, offering a light minimalist product for the fatigued seeking refuge.

Arctic Architecture: Svalbard

2012-04-09T13:30:00-04:00

Arctic Architecture: Svalbard is the first book in a series that will explore the inevitability of northward human migration, its impact on the landscape, and the possibility that sustainable architecture can accommodate human expansion while minimizing environmental damage. Additional volumes focusing on other Arctic locations are also planned. But your support for this first volume is critical.

I'm using Kickstarter to raise funds for participation in The Arctic Circle, a residency for artists, architects, and scientists that takes place in the Norwegian territory of Svalbard. During the residency, I plan to explore the landscape and existing settlements and use that research as the basis for a book, Arctic Architecture: Svalbard.

The book will include maps, diagrams, large-format photographs, and drawings that document the past and present, along with several theoretical projects that show how climate change might affect future settlement of this currently inhospitable landscape. Recent projects by Norwegian architecture firm Jarmund/Vigsnæs, as well as the "Doomsday Vault" in Longyearbyen, demonstrate how architecture in Svalbard is affected by geographic isolation and the extreme climate. I want to take these influences even further, exploring what the architecture of Svalbard could be like decades or even centuries from now.

With some scientists claiming th...

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Christophe Benichou designs extreme balconies for extreme climbers

Arctic Architecture: Svalbard