STUDIO 5•5 creates red spire sculpture at cean port
A contemporary spire rises in Caen, France, as multidisciplinary design Studio 5•5 creates a bold red signal to celebrate the city’s millennium and the future of its transforming port and peninsula. The public installation, titled the 101st spire of Caen, was created by Vincent Baranger and Caen native Anthony Lebossé at the invitation of artistic director Mathias Courtet. Conceived as a permanent sculpture, the monument the monument pays tribute to the city’s architectural heritage — a skyline shaped by the spires of its historic abbeys and churches. By playing on the fable of the hundred spires, it inserts itself into this rich history while extending the city’s story, serving as a symbolic anchor for the port and peninsula.
a filled void in caen’s architectural heritage
The expression ‘city of a hundred spires’ is more of a poetic observation than a precise count, a phrase echoed in local chants and songs. While the city’s core was rich with these vertical landmarks, the newly developed port and peninsula distinctly lacked one. This was recognized by Studio 5•5’s design team, addressing this void with the 101st spire. The project is a testament to local collaboration, with Terreal serving as both a manufacturing partner and a key sponsor, bringing together the industrial expertise of the factory and the traditional skills of the Poterie de Bavent, which handcrafted the signature finish.
101st spire transforms the port into a central public square
Standing at the prow of the peninsula, the red spire is a dramatic maritime landmark. Its unique, intense red color, developed by Terreal from local clay, is reminiscent of a lighthouse or a starboard marker, reinforcing the canal as a crucial maritime gateway and transforming the port into a central public square. This micro-architecture serves as a geographic and symbolic bridge, connecting the historic city center to the emerging urban landscape, and is embraced by the people of Caen as a setting for both small and large gatherings. At night, it becomes a glowing red beacon, pulsing with a gentle rhythm — a heartbeat for the city and its people. The collaborative project was rooted in a local ecosystem of more than forty people, including the training company Metal Academy, the Citeos company, and the City’s departments.
designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.
edited by: lisa kostyra | designboom
project info:
name: The 101st spire of Caen
studio: Studio 5•5
design team: Anthony Lebossé and Vincent Baranger
location: Port of Caen, Caen, France
The post studio 5•5 rises 101st spire in caen as a glowing red monument to the city’s millennium appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.