The Brussels-based firm MangerNielsenArchitects (MNA) is one of the ten craft architecture firms that caviar.archi has decided to portray in film. Johan Nielsen tells us all about his interest in architecture in front of Mister Emma’s camera. He describes his day-to-day work and practices. Quality architecture, architecture in good taste, but what does creating architecture ultimately mean?
Johan Nielsen
MangerNielsenArchitects (MNA)
www.mangernielsenarchitects.eu
mna@mangernielsenarchitects.eu
Technical sheet of this architecture video clip
Journalist : Emma C. Dessouroux
Cameraman : Emanuel Pinto / EpiProd – Mister Emma
Editing : Emma C. Dessouroux / Cristina Dias
Direction : Emma C. Dessouroux
Production : Les Délires Productions
Translation : Strakermedia
Rereading : Serge Ryckoort / Emelire
Subtitles : Strakermedia
French Subtitles
1
00:00:13,000 –> 00:00:14,920
Je suis Johan Nielsen, je suis architecte.
2
00:00:16,200 –> 00:00:19,120
Je suis associé avec Ingrid Manger,
3
00:00:20,200 –> 00:00:24,160
et ensemble, on dirige le bureau
Manger Nielsen Architects à Bruxelles.
4
00:00:24,240 –> 00:00:27,000
En 2008, on travaillait
dans le même bureau.
5
00:00:27,080 –> 00:00:29,560
On travaillait chez Christine Conix
à Bruxelles ensemble,
6
00:00:30,800 –> 00:00:34,120
qui à l’époque était un bureau
assez formidable, très dynamique.
7
00:00:34,200 –> 00:00:37,080
Et puis, on a eu en fait l’idée ensemble,
8
00:00:37,160 –> 00:00:40,640
l’envie de faire des concours
d’architecture principalement.
9
00:00:42,400 –> 00:00:46,520
Ingrid est Allemande,
elle travaillait pas mal à Paris.
10
00:00:47,640 –> 00:00:52,480
Donc, elle a toute une sorte de background
assez, on va dire, international,
11
00:00:52,560 –> 00:00:54,600
un parcours international en tout cas.
12
00:00:54,680 –> 00:00:58,840
Moi, je revenais de Barcelone
où j’ai travaillé quelques années…
13
00:00:59,880 –> 00:01:03,600
au tournant des années 2000,
donc juste après être diplômé,
14
00:01:04,360 –> 00:01:07,640
et ensemble,
on a voulu faire des concours.
15
00:01:09,840 –> 00:01:10,960
- Bonjour.
- Bonjour.
16
00:01:13,120 –> 00:01:14,040
- Voilà.
- Oui.
17
00:01:15,520 –> 00:01:19,160
Aujourd’hui, on construit
dans le domaine du public,
18
00:01:19,240 –> 00:01:20,480
je dirais, de manière générale.
19
00:01:20,560 –> 00:01:26,960
C’est-à-dire que le mécanisme du bureau,
c’est resté les concours, pas mal.
20
00:01:28,920 –> 00:01:30,960
On n’a pas d’a priori
en termes de programme,
21
00:01:31,040 –> 00:01:35,960
puisqu’on construit, par exemple,
pour l’instant, un centre culturel,
22
00:01:38,120 –> 00:01:40,120
un petit complexe sportif à Schaerbeek,
23
00:01:40,920 –> 00:01:42,120
des logements sociaux,
24
00:01:43,040 –> 00:01:44,600
à Molenbeek, une crèche aussi.
25
00:01:44,680 –> 00:01:47,800
Donc, on n’a pas d’exclusive
en termes de programme.
26
00:01:49,280 –> 00:01:52,160
Ce qui nous intéresse, c’est…
27
00:01:53,640 –> 00:01:58,120
là où on peut faire de l’architecture,
là où il y a du débat, de l’enjeu,
28
00:01:58,200 –> 00:01:59,880
on va dire,
et il se trouve qu’aujourd’hui,
29
00:01:59,960 –> 00:02:02,320
c’est quand même pas mal
dans le domaine du public.
30
00:02:05,120 –> 00:02:07,800
Comment est-ce que je décrirais
notre architecture ?
31
00:02:11,680 –> 00:02:13,640
Je dirais que c’est une architecture…
32
00:02:15,760 –> 00:02:17,040
qui est assez simple,
33
00:02:17,120 –> 00:02:21,040
qui porte sa propre force,
34
00:02:21,680 –> 00:02:23,080
à travers une idée en coupe.
35
00:02:23,160 –> 00:02:26,960
C’est peut-être une idée de façade,
mais il y aura peut-être…
36
00:02:27,760 –> 00:02:31,240
une ou deux idées qui vont se dérouler,
37
00:02:31,680 –> 00:02:35,240
si tu veux,
dans tous les aspects du projet,
38
00:02:35,760 –> 00:02:37,600
et à tous les moments du projet…
39
00:02:39,920 –> 00:02:42,320
et qui, à mon avis, va…
40
00:02:43,920 –> 00:02:45,840
se confronter un petit peu au contexte.
41
00:02:46,960 –> 00:02:49,640
- Mais…
- Il est occupé à préparer la porte…
42
00:02:50,520 –> 00:02:54,160
J’ai eu envie de devenir architecte…
43
00:02:59,120 –> 00:03:00,800
C’est une question…
44
00:03:01,640 –> 00:03:04,760
C’est une question très personnelle.
45
00:03:05,560 –> 00:03:07,160
En fait, j’ai eu envie
de devenir architecte
46
00:03:07,240 –> 00:03:10,000
quand j’ai vu des chantiers
dans lesquels des immenses camions
47
00:03:10,800 –> 00:03:12,720
arrivaient pour amener du matériel.
48
00:03:13,200 –> 00:03:16,160
Et il y avait, je trouvais, là-dedans…
49
00:03:18,040 –> 00:03:23,680
un côté évident, un côté simple,
un côté un peu brutal aussi,
50
00:03:23,760 –> 00:03:26,040
dans le fait de mettre
tout d’un coup les choses en œuvre
51
00:03:26,120 –> 00:03:27,120
qui m’a fasciné.
52
00:03:27,760 –> 00:03:29,920
Les études d’architecture
sont assez complexes
53
00:03:30,000 –> 00:03:31,280
dans le sens où c’est…
54
00:03:31,960 –> 00:03:35,320
c’est vraiment des études
où on t’apprend à déconstruire ton savoir,
55
00:03:35,640 –> 00:03:38,240
ce qui est assez intéressant,
mais ce qui est…
56
00:03:39,160 –> 00:03:40,640
je trouve, assez flippant
pour les étudiants.
57
00:03:40,720 –> 00:03:42,280
C’est-à-dire que grosso modo,
58
00:03:42,680 –> 00:03:44,680
si les études sont un peu bien faites,
59
00:03:44,760 –> 00:03:47,280
elles consistent beaucoup à démonter
le côté un peu académique
60
00:03:47,360 –> 00:03:49,640
qui sont les réflexes académiques
qu’on a eus pas mal
61
00:03:49,720 –> 00:03:51,800
dans les études secondaires, etc.
62
00:03:52,560 –> 00:03:55,080
Je pense qu’une bonne éducation
en architecture,
63
00:03:55,160 –> 00:03:57,800
c’est de déconstruire d’abord
ces réflexes-là.
64
00:03:59,480 –> 00:04:00,760
Même avec ce temps-là.
65
00:04:00,840 –> 00:04:02,640
Oui, c’est lumineux.
66
00:04:04,360 –> 00:04:08,760
Et puis, par contre,
la rencontre avec la pratique
67
00:04:08,840 –> 00:04:11,200
est, je trouve, assez…
68
00:04:11,840 –> 00:04:14,360
assez fascinante parce que…
69
00:04:16,600 –> 00:04:20,840
de nouveau, en tout cas pour ma part,
70
00:04:20,920 –> 00:04:23,520
on est confronté enfin au construire.
71
00:04:25,160 –> 00:04:28,280
L’architecture, pour moi, c’est…
72
00:04:35,760 –> 00:04:40,600
Là, tu me laisses un petit peu de temps
pour rassembler mes idées.
73
00:04:46,400 –> 00:04:48,520
Pour moi, l’architecture, c’est un…
74
00:04:50,920 –> 00:04:54,000
c’est un investissement collectif
dans les formes,
75
00:04:54,520 –> 00:04:57,160
je dirais, de manière un peu théorique,
76
00:04:57,240 –> 00:04:59,800
mais pour moi, c’est ça, l’architecture.
English Subtitles
1
00:00:13,000 –> 00:00:14,920
I’m Johan Nielsen, I’m an architect.
2
00:00:16,200 –> 00:00:19,120
I am the partner of Ingrid Manger,
3
00:00:20,200 –> 00:00:24,160
and together we run the firm
Manger Nielsen Architects in Brussels.
4
00:00:24,240 –> 00:00:27,000
In 2008 we worked at the same firm.
5
00:00:27,080 –> 00:00:29,560
We worked together at Christine Conix
in Brussels,
6
00:00:30,800 –> 00:00:34,120
which at the time was quite
a tremendous, dynamic firm.
7
00:00:34,200 –> 00:00:37,080
Then we had the idea together,
8
00:00:37,160 –> 00:00:40,640
the desire to do
architecture competitions, mainly.
9
00:00:42,400 –> 00:00:46,520
Ingrid is German
and she works a lot in Paris.
10
00:00:47,920 –> 00:00:52,480
So she has a very, let’s say,
international background.
11
00:00:52,560 –> 00:00:54,600
An international career, in any case.
12
00:00:54,680 –> 00:00:58,840
I’d come back from Barcelona
where I worked for some years…
13
00:00:59,880 –> 00:01:03,600
around the year 2000,
so a little after getting my diploma,
14
00:01:04,360 –> 00:01:07,640
and we wanted to do competitions together.
15
00:01:09,840 –> 00:01:10,960
-Hello.
-Hello.
16
00:01:13,120 –> 00:01:14,040
-There.
-Yes.
17
00:01:15,520 –> 00:01:20,480
Nowadays, we generally build
in the public sector, I’d say.
18
00:01:20,560 –> 00:01:26,960
The way the firm works
is still through competitions.
19
00:01:28,920 –> 00:01:30,960
There is no « normal »
in terms of programming,
20
00:01:31,040 –> 00:01:35,960
since, for example, now we’re building
a cultural center,
21
00:01:38,120 –> 00:01:42,120
a little sports complex in Schaerbeek,
social housing
22
00:01:43,040 –> 00:01:44,600
in Molenbeek, and a kindergarten.
23
00:01:44,680 –> 00:01:47,800
So there’s nothing exclusive
about our program.
24
00:01:49,280 –> 00:01:52,160
What interests us, is…
25
00:01:53,640 –> 00:01:55,160
wherever we can do architecture,
26
00:01:55,240 –> 00:01:58,120
where there’s a debate,
something at stake, let’s say,
27
00:01:58,200 –> 00:01:59,880
and it happens that these days,
28
00:01:59,960 –> 00:02:02,000
that’s mostly in the public sector.
29
00:02:05,120 –> 00:02:07,600
How would I describe our architecture?
30
00:02:11,680 –> 00:02:13,640
I’d say the architecture is quite…
31
00:02:15,760 –> 00:02:21,040
simple, with its own strength,
32
00:02:21,680 –> 00:02:23,080
through a joint idea.
33
00:02:23,160 –> 00:02:26,960
It might be one main idea,
but there could be…
34
00:02:27,760 –> 00:02:31,240
one or two ideas that develop,
35
00:02:31,800 –> 00:02:35,240
if you will,
in all aspects of the project
36
00:02:35,760 –> 00:02:37,560
and at all times during the project…
37
00:02:39,920 –> 00:02:42,320
and which, in my opinion, will…
38
00:02:43,920 –> 00:02:45,840
challenge the context just a little.
39
00:02:46,960 –> 00:02:49,640
-But…
-He’s busy preparing the door…
40
00:02:50,520 –> 00:02:54,160
I wanted to become an architect…
41
00:02:59,120 –> 00:03:00,800
It’s a question…
42
00:03:01,640 –> 00:03:04,760
It’s a very personal question.
43
00:03:05,560 –> 00:03:07,160
Actually, I wanted to become an architect
44
00:03:07,240 –> 00:03:10,000
when I saw building sites
with huge trucks
45
00:03:10,800 –> 00:03:12,320
bringing in the materials.
46
00:03:13,200 –> 00:03:16,160
And in that, I found…
47
00:03:18,040 –> 00:03:23,680
an obvious side, a simple side,
and a somewhat brutal side too,
48
00:03:23,760 –> 00:03:26,040
in the way that all gets
suddenly put together,
49
00:03:26,120 –> 00:03:27,120
which fascinated me.
50
00:03:27,760 –> 00:03:29,920
Architectural studies are quite complex
51
00:03:30,000 –> 00:03:31,280
in the sense that it’s…
52
00:03:31,960 –> 00:03:35,560
They’re studies that teach you
to deconstruct knowledge,
53
00:03:35,640 –> 00:03:38,240
which is pretty interesting,
but which is…
54
00:03:39,160 –> 00:03:40,640
I think pretty mind-blowing
for the students.
55
00:03:40,720 –> 00:03:44,680
I mean, overall,
if the course is pretty good,
56
00:03:44,760 –> 00:03:47,280
it will try to dismantle
the slightly academic aspect,
57
00:03:47,360 –> 00:03:49,640
those academic reflexes
which we had a lot of
58
00:03:49,720 –> 00:03:51,800
in high school, etc.
59
00:03:52,560 –> 00:03:55,080
I think a good education in architecture
60
00:03:55,160 –> 00:03:57,800
must first deconstruct those reflexes.
61
00:03:59,480 –> 00:04:00,760
Even in this weather?
62
00:04:00,840 –> 00:04:02,640
Yes, it’s bright.
63
00:04:04,360 –> 00:04:08,760
Then, however, coming face-to-face
with the practical side
64
00:04:08,840 –> 00:04:14,360
is, I think,
quite fascinating because…
65
00:04:16,600 –> 00:04:20,840
again, in my case anyway,
66
00:04:20,920 –> 00:04:23,520
we are confronted with building.
67
00:04:25,160 –> 00:04:28,280
Architecture, for me, is…
68
00:04:35,760 –> 00:04:40,600
Give me a moment to gather my thoughts.
69
00:04:46,400 –> 00:04:48,520
For me, architecture is…
70
00:04:50,920 –> 00:04:54,000
is a collective investment in shapes,
71
00:04:54,520 –> 00:04:57,160
I’d say, to put it theoretically,
72
00:04:57,240 –> 00:04:59,800
but for me, that’s what architecture is.
Laisser un commentaire