L’Embarcadère

L’Embarcadère is a mobile and participatory architectural project that explores storytelling as a collective, sensory experience in public space. Developed as a temporary installation touring from May to August 2025, the project combines architecture, sound, and urban furniture to create moments of encounter across different territories. Inspired by the dynamics of waterways—movement, flow, connection—the pavilion acts as a listening and transmission device, collecting local narratives and redistributing them through immersive and tactile sound technologies. By activating public spaces and engaging diverse communities, L’Embarcadère investigates how temporary architecture can foster cultural exchange, social connection, and shared ownership of place.

At the core of the project is a pavilion developed by LOCAL and KMD, designed to host recording sessions and sound diffusion using innovative audio technologies. The installation integrates LoSonnante, a system that translates sound into vibrations, allowing visitors to experience narratives not only through hearing but also through touch. This multisensory approach expands accessibility and deepens emotional engagement.

Complementing the pavilion, a series of modular outdoor seating elements designed by ENSAAMA students create informal gathering spaces around the installation. These elements encourage conversation, rest, and observation, reinforcing the pavilion’s role as a social and cultural catalyst within the urban landscape.

Through its touring format and participatory methodology, L’Embarcadère establishes connections between different communities, cultures, and public spaces. The project positions temporary architecture as a tool for research, artistic expression, and civic engagement, while contributing to ongoing discussions on sound, atmosphere, and embodied experience in the public realm.