Charly Broyez and Laurent Kronental celebrate the building before photos written by Charly Broyez and Laurent Kronental – Huge
40 minutes east of the Mediterranean coast in Montpellier (Montpellier) l’Austecture d’Aujourd’hui. The groundbreaking work of architect Jean Balladur, La Grande Motte (meaning “Grande Motte”) is a modern development project that includes buildings inspired by the pyramids and Mastabas, which rise to the sandy, green and expansive old farm between the lakes of étang de L’Ow and the open sea.
La Grande Motte was regarded as a resort when Europeans embraced their holiday trip again after the war, which accommodates nearly 38,000 tourists in holiday homes, apartments and campgrounds. After the end of World War II, Baladuer realized the project during the so-called Les Trente Glorieuses or the “Glorious Thirty Thirty.” For him, the resort represents an ideal city where accommodation is relatively affordable and residents can escape socio-economic pressure.
For photographers and collaborators, Laurent Kronental and Charly Broyez often focus on architecture and urban environments, La Grande Motte offers a unique opportunity to explore the infamous geographical location that has grown on its critics over the years. It is increasingly regarded as a concept whose unique form, white facades, sculptural elements and harmony with nature provide an irresistible focus for the titled series La Cité Oasis -Unrêve Futuristeau bord dela Méditerranée,,,,, or, Oasis City – Futuristic Dreams of the Mediterranean.
Between 2019 and 2023, Kronental and Broyez captured glittering towers, arched outlines, sculptural elements and savage details, radiating harsh images that exude a summery feel. We see subtle influences from sources like Teotihuacan, Teotihuacan, the former Colombian pyramids in Mexico or La Cité Radieuse in nearby Marseille. Each building is unique, rising from the sand, such as huge habitable sculptures.
Broyez and Kronental’s images are no one, but the umbrellas on the balcony, drag-hanging awnings that dry or open windows suggest their presence. Exploring La Grande Motte is “discovering a parallel world, and we don’t know if we have found the remains of ancient civilizations, or entered the future.” The New York Times.
Check out Broyez and Kronental on Instagram and read the entire project carefully, which contains nearly 70 photos.
