sebastian weiss photographs striking façades of france as architectural protagonists

architectural photographer, sebastian weiss, presents his latest photo series: ‘dramatis personae’. the series presents public faces of buildings in france, concentrating on their public performance. as implied by the title, ‘dramatis personae’, weiss explores the unique and individual appearance of various structures, which act as strong personalities in public places.

tours aillaud
architect: emile aillaud
location: nanterre, france

weiss’ series arose from the metaphor of the city as the ‘theater of life’. ‘when I visited some very expressive and characterful buildings last year, I wondered why not expand this idea of a ‘public performance’ and consider the city itself as a theater,’ explains the photographer. ‘I intended to examine ‘the protagonists’ on such a stage of the city‘. the series thus interprets striking buildings as ‘architectural persons’, whose roles are essential and formative for the performance.

ZAC du coteau (also main image)
location: arcueil, france
architects: ECDM architectes

the project features buildings from ECDM architectes, jean nouvel, émile aillaud, gérard grandval, VIB architecture, and rudy ricciotti. weiss has selected these projects as the most important architectural ‘protagonists’ of the city, as they transform the architectural landscape with their tectonic performances. 

ZAC du coteau
location: arcueil, france
architects: ECDM architectes

la cité curial-cambrai
location: paris, france
architect: andré coquet

grande arche
architect: otto von spreckelsen and paul andreu
location: paris, france

SILOS 13
location: paris, france
architect: VIB architecture

cité de la musique – philharmonie de paris
location: paris, france
architect: jean nouvel

choux de créteil
location: créteil, france
architect: gérard grandval

stade jean-bouin
location: paris, france
architects: rudy ricciotti

cité de la musique – philharmonie de paris
location: paris, france
architect: jean nouvel

centre des nouvelles industries et technologies
architect: robert edouard camelot, jean de mailly and bernard zehrfuss
location: paris, francecité de la musique -philharmonie de paris
location: paris, france
architect: jean nouvel