Projects

The Living soils lab is a citizen science initiative aimed at assessing urban soils health with a focus on desealed artificial ground and planted areas aiming to restore ecosystem services and enhance community health and climate resilience in Paris banlieues.

The project aims to support groups of women and residents of the Quatre Chemins neighborhood in Pantin in their appropriation of public space through a program of actions contributing to making the city more inclusive, shared, friendly, and climate-resilient.

Dans le cadre de l'Été au Pré, Umarell invite les habitant·e·s à partir à la recherche des îlots de chaleur de leurs quartiers munis de thermomètres infrarouge et de caméras thermiques. Une fois identifiés, les participant·e·s réfléchissent aux manières de mitiger les effets de ces îlots de chaleur à partir de constructions frugales, temporaires et circulaires. Accompagnés par le collectif Trombinoscop, les participant·e·s participent à la construction de dispositifs ombrelles en matériaux recyclés pour apporter ombre et fraîcheur aux lieux où elles sont posées.

Umarell accompagne la ville de Pierrefitte-sur-Seine dans sa dynamique de revitalisation du centre-ville en nourrissant la réflexion urbaine grâce aux retours des habitant·e·s sur leur futur vélo-stand d'information.

The project's field of study is a fragment of the watershed of a coastal river - the Aygalades stream - rising in the north of Marseille. In this geography of "limits" within fragile ecosystems, we invite to a change in spatial scale, governance, time, and relationships between humans and non-humans, where the "health" of the watershed becomes the key indicator for the project.

How to navigate in a constantly changing neighborhood? What if it was through sound, the participants go in search of the most important sounds of the neighborhood to create together a sound map.

In collaboration with the Neighborhood Community Center of Quatre Chemins and the Maison du projet, Umarell is creating a map of the neighborhood with, by, and for the locals. From newcomers to long-time residents, together we determine which are the notable, beloved, peaceful, or even secret places in the neighborhood.

L'Abri is a collective learning project around low-tech construction methods and artistic production. At the heart of the garden of the Tignous Center for Contemporary Art, in Montreuil, a temporary structure is built during participatory construction workcamps around ecological and bio-sourced materials (wood, cob, oiled canvas, and Swedish paint). Then L'Abri becomes the place for outdoor practices in the form of publishing workshops (stamp, marbled paper, cyanotype, bookbinding, and textile painting).

In a research-action residence taking the form of a radio investigation, Umarell questions the future of suburban areas with the residents of the Beauminé neighborhood, in the Bordeaux metropolitan area. From fake real estate stands to large gatherings, the collective members, along with the inhabitants, weave a new narrative about surburbia and their ways of life.

The Living Bet Project proposes a new vision of post-industrial territories in the mining basin: wealth is present in what already exists, as well as the local actors, wildlife, flora, landscape, hydrography, soil, existing infrastructure and buildings. The project also reflects on new forms of work, service exchanges, skills, time, and on the ability to involve and summon all human and non-human actors to redesign this transformation project in their image.

At the heart of the village centre of Viviers-du-Lac, the former Post Office occupies a central position in the village. As a pivotal building, it is at the interface of the historic square (town hall/church/school) and the contemporary village square (car park/school playground/park). In an overall urban context of demographic and economic growth in the municipality, and in the valley more generally, public and political attention is focused on the desires and needs concentrated in the village centre. Umarell's diagnostic mission consists of carrying out a feasibility study for a third place on the site of the old Post Office, as well as co-designing the political and public specifications for its implementation.

Le salon des possibilités is a mobile and modular device that unfolds in public spaces. Its purpose is to create convivial spaces in unexpected places (building entrance, street corner...). As a neighborhood toolkit, the salon des possibilités is available to local non-profits and actors in the Quatre Chemins neighborhood in Pantin in order to carry out their activities outdoors: laying out mats on the ground, providing games and books, serving tea or holding self-repair workshops.

Comment faire porter à connaissance le dispositif “Territoire Zéro Chômeur de Longue Durée” auprès des potentiel·le·s bénéficiaires du territoire (chômeur·euse·s de longue durée, dirigeant·e·s d’entreprise...) et des habitant·e·s ? Umarell réalise une étude préalable au projet de conception d’une signalétique (totem) dédiée.