France Atlanta

Rethinking the building material cycle is an urgent ecological necessity.

12:30 pm – 2:00 pm

The work of Bellastock (Paris 2006), Rotor (Brussels 2006) and Rural Studio (Newbern, Alabama 1993) provides a fascinating window into the myriad challenges – logistical, economic, formal, social – to reusing building materials and components. The specific contexts and circumstances of their origins and their continuing evolution offer lessons and inspiration to all of us: students, building industry professionals, activists and concerned citizens.

Panelists:

• – Antoine Aubinais, Bellastock
• – Susie Naval, Rotor
• – Rusty Smith, Rural Studio
• – Moderator: Sabir Khan, College of Design, Georgia Tech

Biographies:

• – Antoine Aubinais is an architect (HMONP) who graduated from the École d’Architecture de Paris Belleville in 2010, co-founder in 2006 of Bellastock and president of the association until 2012. Today, he is co-managing director of SCIC (Société Coopérative of Collective Interest) Bellastock. He founded the CAAPP, Center Art Architecture Paysage Patrimoine in 2018 at the request of the Ministry of Culture.
• – Susie Naval is a Project Officer at Rotor, specialized in Circular Economy. Rotor is a cooperative design practice that investigates the organization of the material environment and develops critical positions through research and design. Besides projects in architecture and interior design, it also produces exhibitions, books, economic models and policy proposals.
• – Rusty Smith is the Associate Director of Rural Studio, Auburn University’s internationally recognized design-build architecture program. Established in 1993, Rural Studio gives architecture students a hands-on educational experience while assisting the underserved communities of Alabama’s rural Black Belt region. Over the past decade Rural Studio has expanded the scope and complexity of its projects to include the design and construction of community-oriented infrastructure, the development of more broadly-attainable small home affordability solutions, and a comprehensive approach to addressing insecurity issues relative to income, energy, food, health and education resources.
• – Sabir Khan has a joint appointment in the Georgia Institute of Technology School of Architecture and in the School of Industrial Design (2011-current). Prior to that he served as Associate Dean of the College for undergraduate studies and creative activity (2002-2011) and Assistant Professor in the School of Architecture (1995-2002).

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This event is organized by the Atlanta Office of the Cultural Services of the Embassy of France in the United States and the Georgia Institute of Technology with the support of Bellastock, Rotor and Rural Studio.

Photo : Rotor. Materials display on site. Dismantled or purchased from salvage (Creative Commons: ©Delphine Math)