FIRE STATION LIVING DE PARIS There's a newcomer to an otherwise typical Parisian suburban landscape of highways, railway lines, factories, and housing. In the fast-growing town of Nanterre, a fire station has become a new landmark, with a copper-colored facade that changes with the daylight. Designed by the French architects Jean-Marc Ibos and Myrto Vitart, the fire station is also a redefinition of the building type, mixing conventional fire-fighting program elements with multifamily housing. — Published 2005.0216
	CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA DANSE In September 2004, the French Centre National de la Danse (National Dance Center) opened the doors of its "new" headquarters to students, professionals, and the public. Situated in Pantin, a town just northeast of Paris, the rejuvenated 1960s-era building symbolizes a growing cultural interest in the Parisian suburbs. — Published 2004.0922
	ART LIFE PARIS Paris has long had a deep relationship with the lives and work of its artists. The city has been both home and inspiration to some of the greatest artists of the 19th and 20th centuries and to thousands more seeking such fame. Still, many greats and near-greats spend a lot of time searching for affordable working and living spaces. — Published 2003.0219
	HERETICAL TENT In the south of France is a house whose tent-like form follows the contours of the land and mimics the curvature of a nearby ancient stone wall. It is an example of "architecture by stealth." Not only does its green fabric covering blend into the natural environment, but the structure is nearly invisible to building officials. "Maison Barak" is also figuratively green, with a geothermal heat source and a relatively light footprint in its grove of olive trees. — Published 2002.0529
	CLASSICAL GLASS When choosing glass as a structural material, architects have traditionally accepted translucency as a necessary tradeoff for strength. A recent awards program, however, has demonstrated an application for clear, laminated glass which both performs structurally and, through its transparency, defers to its historic surroundings. — Published 2002.0605
	PIXELPARK IN PARIS In July 2000, the Parisian architecture firm Edge won a design competition for an office renovation. Just six months later, the client company Pixelpark moved into its new 27,000-square-foot (2500-square-meter) headquarters. — Published 2002.0515
	PARISIAN ELEMENTARY The northeast of Paris is architecturally diverse, with a mix of 19th and 20th century constructions. In contrast to the authentically historic background, whole blocks have been sold to real estate companies, erased, and rebuilt in a style that tries to be a modern interpretation of the 19th-century Parisian buildings of Georges-Eugène Haussmann but never really reaches the same quality. — Published 2002.0327

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