Fatcontroller

This is the view from inside Radio France, looking out over the inner circle. Henri Bernard was the architect behind this iconic 60’s building near the Eiffel Tower in Paris. It’s now under a massive renovation program from the centre out.

The architect allegedly got the inspiration from sitting by a pond and throwing a pebble in. The building represents the ripples radiating out from the tower in the middle which used to hold the archive. Not that necessary to have such a large space now of course.

The consequential trapezoid shapes of the segments between the walls and the centre are supposed to be the best shape for the large recording studios housed there.

The building is similar to the centrepiece of BBC television centre, but on a much grander scale. Since the break up of ORTF in 1974, radio and tv in the public sector in france have hardly any connection, there’s practically no movement of staff between the two, which must be a lost opportunity as radio becomes more visual.

The incorporation of studio space into design reminds me of the Radio Scotland building up in Glasgow Pacific Quay. The ceilings of the studios form the layers in the aztec style steps to the top of the building. Starting with radio drama and moving up finally to a huge TV studio.