6 & 6

Jean Marc Ibos and Myrto Vitart, in the almost monastic quiet of their Parisian offices, meticulously design some of the most rigorous and yet at the same time sensitive urban architecture of recent years. Irrespective of the programme - whether museum, fire station or accommodation - all their creations show the same characteristics: perfect set-up, rigorous designs, sophisticated façades and flawless workmanship. Whether "noble" or prosaic, there is no hierarchy among programmes; each one is treated with the same attention to detail. Ibos and Vitart are not trying to construct icons. Their interest lies elsewhere: in producing what one might call civil structures that are built to last and to reflect their times. Buildings that don't seek to disturb but rather to chime with their environment, and to bring, or retain, a sort of urban serenity to their surroundings. Ibos and Vitart combine great rigour with extreme sensitivity in order to come up with an architecture that is solid and rational, but at the same time imbued with as strong sense of identity. Their constructions are remarkable for their contemporary expressiveness, but nonetheless remain familiar and accessible. This explains their ability to stand the test of time. Exhibition: Cité de l'Architecture & du Patrimoine, Paris, France (22.05.-16.09.2019).