ANAMORPHOSIS

For the 4th edition of the Festival International des Jardins de la Cote d’Azur, studio audal designed the garden Peu importe aux butineurs (Pollinators don’t care), a garden inspired by the theme of its years’ edition ‘surprenantes perspectives’: surprising perspectives. 

The concept of perspective transcends mere observation; it’s about how we see the world through both our eyes and our critical minds. This proposal emerged from the interplay with these two facets. At both ends of the site, in two specific points, the garden invites the visitor to observe and share their viewpoint, their perspective on things. Through a play of anamorphosIs facilitated by strategically placed pollinator walls, the garden unfolds in two distinct visions opposite to that of the other side: on one side, a meadow with yellow hues and warm colors, on the other side, purple and violet flowers with pastel shades. 

A pair of megaphones facilitates a dialogue between two observers, allowing them to clash, compare, and debate their interpretations of the colors. Finally, when they are ready to put their visions into perspective, they can walk to the center of the garden and discover that things were neither entirely white nor entirely black, or in this case, neither entirely yellow nor entirely purple. This garden aims to highlight human behavior and offer criticism: do we not spend too much time debating our opinions and not enough time taking action? This is where the concept gets its title, because ultimately, whether yellow or purple, it matters little to the pollinators.

100% REUSED/RECYCLED

studio audal is committed to eco-responsibility, evident in our use of bio sourced materials, permaculture practices and biodiversified designs for fauna. Peu importe aux butineurs is a testament to this ethos, challenging societal inaction towards biodiversity preservation, especially pollinator species. Humans, too busy debating trivial matters, take too long to take action. 

The entire garden is crafted from sustainable, recycled materials: French wood and locally harvested natural fillings for the pollinator walls (or insect hotels), wood for the stepping stones, recycled wastewater bio-concrete for the megaphones (3d printed by Omlab) and local plants from an eco responsibly nursery specifically chosen for pollinators. After the festival was finished, all the plants have been used in the planting beds within the city of Menton, while all the pollinator walls have been distributed around local schools to teach kids about biodiversity and the importance of it.