Marie Christine Gangneux
Practice: Marie Christine Gangneux
Established: 1978
City: Paris
Country: France
www.mc-gangneux.com
[email protected]
Marie Christine Gangneux is a woman architect involved in theoretical approaches as well as in practice. She has a diploma in architecture from the Ecole des beaux-arts in Paris and a Masters in environmental design from Yale University. Editor of the magazine 'L'Architecture d'aujourd'hui' from 1974 to 1979, she joined Bernard Huet's team. She designed and built several social housing programmes in Paris and public buildings (schools, hospitals, office and administrative buildings) and received the Ordre National du Mérite medal for her work. She belongs to the Franco-British Union of Architects.
She teaches architectural theory and design in the School of Architecture, Paris-Belleville, and building technologies at ESSEC Business School. As a researcher in building technologies, she is on the council of the French government PREBAT programme and an expert on a range of innovative sustainable-housing programmes.
Marie Christine Gangneux
Jussieu University Masterplan
The 9 hectares of the university campus are involved in a process of renovation. Conceived in 2009, the goal of the masterplan is to unify and improve the image of Paris6 University, located along the Seine. Albert's architectural concept has been distorted since the 1960s. The restored area implies new relationships with the surrounding city and the introduction of nature as a 'Campus Park'. Flexibility is essential to fit evolution in time and space: more areas must meet the river.
| How does diversity of people reveal itself at work? | Diversity brings humour and curiosity in accepting others' opinions in efficient teamwork. Enrichment in ideas and methods are the keywords of diversity. It is a very good way to introduce enthusiasm and dynamism in creation. Plurality of ideas and analysis brings different strategies even though synthesis can be more difficult. |
| If you could change one thing in our profession, what would it be? | The architectural profession is a land of egos: oversized self-images rather than culture and attention to people probably come from the male heritage of the profession. Even though the enlargement of the architects' group in France has increased the diversity of attitudes, the public still has an image of the architect as an artist far from reality, unable to cope with needs and budgets. It leads to incomprehension of our duty and cultural contribution. |
| What do you find most rewarding in your area of work? | The possibility architects have to transform an existing situation is highly rewarding: a site and a programme. The keyword for me is 'potentiality'. It implies the association of different elements to produce a coherent building, comfortable and expressive in terms of light and spatial experience. Working with your own team means you choose the partners you work with: architect, engineer, landscaper and economist. It means you can trust and achieve. |