Symbol France-Japan

Our project was selected as one of seven finalists in an open competition to design a communications monument which France wished to give to the people of Japan. It would celebrate both the 200th anniversary of the French Revolution (1789) and the 100th anniversary of the gift of the ‘Statue of Liberty’ to the American people. It was organised under the patronage of President Mitterand.

The France-Japan Ring and the Poïesis Generator create a very unique combination of architectural hardware and communications software.  Conceived by Poïesis*, it conveys a communication game constructed within an annular vessel of carbon coated woven titanium, floating completely, off the ground.

It is 365 metres in diameter and is ‘levitated’ by 45 square metres of supermagnets (developed by the CNRS in France) and ‘straddles’ three summits on the site. It is restrained by structural rods to ground anchors at three locations.

Its ‘active skin’ responds in colour to the very original global network game – the ‘Poïesis Generator’ ©Olivier Auber.

By telemetry (in this instance telephone and PC, or Minitel), any world inhabitant with access to this equipment composes his/her individual coloured sign (hieroglyph) and sends it to the poïetic generator – interactively creating with others an endless virtual image within the ring and imaged on his or her own personal screen.

*’Poiesis is the cause which makes whatever one considers change from non-being to being.’ [Plato]
A collaboration between Olivier Auber, Ian Ritchie Architects,  Jean-Louis L’hermitte, Guillème Pratz and Peter Rice.