'symphonie pastorale' bell-tower rises over vast fields of rural france

rural architecture evolves in valbeleix

Built as a marriage of architecture and agriculture, this Symphonie Pastorale installation rises as a slender timber landmark in Valbeleix, France. Designed and built by a trio of young architects, Quentin Bourguignon, Marin Delebecque, and Luc Doin, this project is the result of their creative vision coming to life during the 16th edition of the Horizon ‘Art nature’ in Sancy. Through a combination of design elements, the installation illuminates and challenges the status of the rural world, encompassing its landscapes, inhabitants, and intricate relationships with contemporary issues such as tourism, construction practices, and ecology.

images © Luc Doin | @dn_luc

a traditional symbol transformed for modern france

The conceptual foundation driving the Symphonie Pastorale installation stems from the notion of shedding light on the rural world’s multifaceted identity. Architects Quentin Bourguignon, Marin Delebecque, and Luc Doin hope to prompt a new awareness about the rural landscape, the lives of those who live there, and the diversity that thrives within it. Aiming to spark a reflection on the relationship between this environment and the complex modern challenges it faces, such as the web of tourism, evolving architectural norms, and ecological concerns, the work brings the rural narrative into the limelight.

The work takes shape to evoke the architectural symbol of the bell-tower translated through a contemporary lens. A representation of centrality, the traditional bell-tower symbolizes the heart of the rural world in France. However, this installation takes a bols step by relocating this symbol to the very core of Sancy’s rural activity. The project questions the perception of evolving agricultural spaces and the narratives they weave into the fabric of the landscape.

the interactive ‘symphonie pastorale’

With its expressive timber structure, Symphonie Pastorale showcases the design team’s meticulous craftsmanship. Its slim, monolithic form is an homage to the array of similar traditional structures that dot the neighboring villages. Constructed primarily from wood and straw, the installation exhibits a sleek geometry that captures attention from afar. As visitors approach, the semi-open facade creates a mesmerizing graphical rhythm, a dance between solid and void. Inside, a simple interior layout showcases the straw and wood structure, along with a collection of painted bells. One of the most important aspects of the projects is its interactive element. Visitors are invited to engage in an immersive rural experience, as a rope-pull allows visitors to ring the bells overhead and become actors within the pastoral symphony.

the facade shows graphic timber patterning

a rope-pull allows visitors to ring the painted bells overhead