UNE BALADE ARCHITECTURALE À DEUX VOIX, PARCOURS CENTRE-VILLE CARMES

For a historic city cannot be content merely to recount its ancient heritage: this tour shows you that 20th-century history is just as worthy of admiration, thanks to contemporary architecture that is sometimes overlooked, or even shunned.

Far from being a mere list of modern buildings, this tour bears witness to Toulouse’s evolution from the Art Deco era of the 1920s to the early 2000s. This economic and sociological evolution in Toulouse is reflected in the choice of architects who epitomise their era, such as Fabien Castaing.

Thus, the Trente Glorieuses (from 1945 to 1975) marked Toulouse’s political recognition as a well-balanced metropolis and left fascinating traces in the city centre’s urban landscape.

Later, the 1990s left their mark on contemporary architecture through a reappropriation of identity that respected the older history of Toulouse’s built environment. Far from being purely functional, this architecture placed the well-being of its occupants at the forefront, even though criteria for well-being have since evolved further.

This guided tour, led by two guides, fosters a lively exchange open to all discussion, through a narrative accessible to everyone. Is the slab-based architecture of Place Occitane a partial failure? Can the international style championed by Le Corbusier (open plan, free façade, stilts, roof terrace and ribbon windows) be successfully combined with Toulouse bricks? The discussion promises to be fascinating, involving the architect, the speaker, and… you!

Tour organised in partnership with Noviciat and the Maison de l’Architecture Occitanie-Pyrénées. Registration is compulsory.