Is it possible to be impartial about the primal fascination and heat of a fire in Paris in 2010? Is it possible that this symbol of man’s first step towards civilisation will be authorised to return to our towns? When the time is approaching for the inevitable news reports lamenting, like every year, the homeless facing death from the winter nights, Duende Studio and François Bauchet join forces to propose an urban fireplace conceived to offer fire to Parisians with maximum security. New furniture for the city, the funding for the prototype is now open to co-production: we are appealing to anyone interested in this project to participate via a financial pledge in order to raise the 10,000 Euros necessary for the manufacture of the prototype.

Envisaged like a new Morris column in terms of its size, format and installation in the city, the urban fireplace is literally a cage of fire. A column of pierced sheet metal which permits the diffusion of heat and visual comfort, rules out any danger of burning. Fuelled by wood provided by the city, as is already the case for the water fountains, this public fireplace is a proposal in homage to Yves Klein’s project to equip Paris with fire fountains, pointing out that our climate justifies such heat sources in winter, at least as much as water fountains to refresh ourselves in the summer. A functional design response defending climatic architecture, this public fireplace is for us necessary general equipment for comfort. Now the challenge is to finance a first example in order to propose it to the city of Paris as a test. We are fully aware of the incongruous character of this proposal at a time when any homeless gathering, any fear of an “accident” brings to light an overly cautious, excessively safe period, lacking confidence in its citizens, hence for that reason has a normal, useful and perfectly primordial character.

1. Please go at: http://duenderelationspresse.wordpress.com/2010/10/26/appel-au-feu-aparis-par-duende-studio-et-francois-bauchet/
2. Use the comment function. Tell us how much you’re able to give and your details.
3. Each participation will be published so everybody will be able to have a look at the total amount.
4. Once the amount reached, we’ll contact you to actually give the money and pay for the prototype.