Brussels, July 2016 The area was deserted on this summer Sunday, the usual officials and lobbyists being absent at the entrance of the office buildings. At the heart of Europe with its four lanes, “Law street” was covered by only […]

Hossegor, july 2016. It is commonplace: in many workplaces, the flexibility of work schedules has gradually transformed the working conditions. In this manner, the work force can be adjusted to the changing rhythm of the market on almost a daily […]

Early in the morning on this week day, there were only a few dogs in the park. And unless you were paying close attention, you couldn’t tell what kind of dogs they were. It’s only when I saw the sign […]

Brussels, August 2016. Around the buildings, as it is common in this type of campus, you have to cross parking lots protected by barriers. Lost tourists or nearby supermarket consumers shall be prevented to seize this area dedicated to duly […]

Paris, June 2016 The classroom was empty, no tables or chairs left. They had been transported in a gym, to be used there for baccalaureate candidates. But in a corner near the entrance, a trace of exam preparation has been […]

As Franck Cochoy remarkably showed, the invention of packaging took a crucial part in the shaping of modern markets. Before it appeared, customers could only made choices between two different goods: rice and pasta for instance. But rice was present […]

Paris, March 2016 On a single-color background stand out letters, numbers and mathematical symbols. All along the dock convoluted formulas are displayed. Modern hieroglyphics that we can not literally read, much less understand, they fix the gaze of rushed travelers […]

It’s easy to understand what signposts do to space. They help to transform it into places. Signs perform territories, jurisdictions, ie delimited portions of land that are not only named, but also organized, even politicized. Once you pass a sign, […]

Toulouse, july 2014. In the car, on our way to a printing house. He: “I’m sorry for taking a detour, but I really have to get these stickers today”. Me: No problem… Instead, a printing house is a potentially interesting […]

Bordeaux, March 2016. The train was quite ordinary, its gray dress on the ten cars reflecting sunlight. Yet, this train is not like the others: on the locomotive, a faded sticker draws the eye of the traveler. It was 25 […]

There is something strange about this lunch. Adults have fun, but we barely see the children. Juts before desert, they ask for the permission to leave and disappear. What’s really awkward is we don’t hear them. No big laughs, no […]

Paris, november 2015. Everyone has been sat down into the meeting room for hours, during several consecutive days. Discussions have been rather polite and quiet, other have been more animated, even harsh. The various opinions have been expressed, shared and […]

Valencia, March 2016 Almost ten years, the pool was full of boats and onlookers, and the images of the regattas were transmitted worldwide. Today, under the sun, the marina accommodates only a few walkers and occasional sailers. Yet buildings are […]

This is the first thing you do after arriving at the AirBnB studio: a walk in the neighborhood. What a beautiful place. Trees and flowers everywhere. Blue sky. Colorful houses, nice frontyards. You take pictures that you know will look […]

Paris, February 2016 The ministry is still a great fortress extending over a block, even if its new entrance made of glass symbolized its openness to all citizens. After passing the security checks worthy of an airport, we arrived at […]

Paris, september 2010. A few words on a sheet of paper enclosed in a transparent plastic pocket containing a key, the whole thing firmly attached to a piece of string. That’s it! Everyone would receives this surprising assemblage as a […]

“Nobody walks in LA”, we all know that. Before going there, I used to think it was a matter of distance. That the point was actually nobody walks 10 miles to go to work. No one considers a two-hours tour […]

San Francisco, December 2010 There are words and signs that once were exceptional and that have become commonplace. Weather announcements then consisted in temperatures and a sun or rain forecast, while green spots, yellow, orange or red now dot the […]

Denver, november 2015. The role of measurements is key in a wide range of situations. In the scientific practice, a tool as simple as a scale is regularly used to weigh a known substance in the course of an experiment. […]

It’s hard to make people do things you think are important, especially when you can’t force them physically. All over the years we witnessed so many different ways: from the exposition of simple facts to extreme politeness, from detailed legal […]

Paris, November 2015 The state of emergency implies a deployment of police and military forces throughout the country. Well, almost … because within the higher education and research institutions, they are hardly present. It shall not be taken as an […]

Athens, November 2015. The night was warm, as in Paris a week earlier, and orange lights illuminated the Acropolis overlooking the city. Near Syntagma Square and the Parliament where the changing of the guard attracts tourists, lies an avenue with […]

Clamart, june 2015. Nothing seems to be easier than to go swimming. You just have to jump into the water. Whether you are a good swimmer or not, whether you are dressed or not, it is that simple! Yet, the […]

Paris, November 2014. Thousands of books handily accessible. It was one of the strong arguments of the ebooks readers retailers. Ease of transport, abundance. When I saw your bag for the first time and I realized that it contained books, […]

Quebec, August 2015. An historic site with its splendid terrace, its cannons and its view over the majestic river can only attract hordes of tourists and their associated ecosystem of shops and street vendors. Not far away, a little remote, […]

When and where do we work? What used to be a very simple question is now a great matter a concern. Not only because a lot of workers have a mobile computer with which they can check their e-mails at […]

La Rochelle, august 2015. It’s summer time. The sun has been shining for several weeks, and a thin layer of dust covers the different professional nameplates of this notarial office. Cleaning these golden signs is part of the housekeeper’s work. […]

Milan, june 2015. The room is beautiful, yet empty but already illuminated, all dressed in red, and the stage seems so close. But to look at the balcony of the stall is not given to everyone when the show begins. […]

Paris, june 2015.

Paris, May 2015. The “coffee machine” is now a globalized device: work spaces and public spaces abound with these machines that produce “coffee”, “tea” and “cocoa” from unidentified substances and hot tap water. This is a real black box: no […]