LES OLYMPIADES

The project is an ode to the area around Avenue d’Ivry and the brutalist Les Olympiades housing development in the 13th arrondissement of Paris. An urbanist housing project led by architect Michel Holley in the ’60s and ’70s. Inspired by Le Corbusier, Holley’s vision was to create a city within a city, a utopian network of tower blocks with each level designated for a specific purpose. Built between 1969 and 1974, the area is home to a large South-East Asian diaspora, and is affectionately known as Le Quartier Asiatique.

Central to the project is a photo essay that juxtaposes architectural studies of the imposing modernist development – the tower blocks named after Olympic host cities, the vast esplanade, the shopping arcade – with portraits of local residents wearing pieces from the collection, chosen themselves.

In a series of short films inspired by French national broadcaster ORTF’s documentaries of the 70s and 80s, residents talk about their memories and shared experiences of the area around Avenue D'lvry and Les Olympiades. It brings together an ensemble cast including Mounir, an actor-comedian who grew up in the area; Benoit, who has been a resident since the development was built in 1974; and young artist Lea, a recent arrival drawn to the area by her own familial memories.

“I remember peeking through concrete modernist windows into the other-worldly interiors of neighbours apartments. Through these small but many windows, you could read the story of these different individuals - the life of Les Olympiades.”

— Lyna Ty, SFTM

“We wanted to capture the neighbourhood and sense of community that Lyna remembered from her childhood. And although in some ways the area has changed dramatically, in others it’s much the same: an urban landscape that brings individuals together, a backdrop for their interactions and daily routines.”

— Daniel Gurton, Director & Photographer

ADC Bronze Award Winner 2023