Jacques Rougerie (born 11 July 1945 in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

) is a French Architect and Oceanographer who specialises in underwater habitats. MAD Architects has revealed its design proposal for the Aquatic Centre for the Paris 2024 Olympics. Envisioning the sports facility as an urban public artwork, displaying the beauty and hope of Paris, the proposal was created in collaboration with three French architectural studios, Jacques Rougerie Architecture, Atelier Phileas Architecture, and Apma Architecture.

Biography

Born in 1945 to a

mathematician A mathematician is someone who uses an extensive knowledge of mathematics in their work, typically to solve mathematical problems. Mathematicians are concerned with numbers, data, quantity, structure, space, models, and change. History On ...

mother and a biogeographer father, companion of

Theodore Monod Theodore may refer to: Places * Theodore, Alabama, United States * Theodore, Australian Capital Territory * Theodore, Queensland, a town in the Shire of Banana, Australia * Theodore, Saskatchewan, Canada * Theodore Reservoir, a lake in Saskatche ...

, Rougerie lived in

Ivory Coast Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d'Ivoire, officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country on the southern coast of West Africa. Its capital is Yamoussoukro, in the centre of the country, while its largest city and economic centre is ...

until he turned 11. After moving to France when he was 19, he entered The École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-arts in 1964, attending the

Auguste Perret Auguste Perret (12 February 1874 – 25 February 1954) was a French architect and a pioneer of the architectural use of reinforced concrete. His major works include the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, the first Art Deco building in Paris; the C ...

workshop directed by Andre Remondet and Paul Maymont. Inspired by Jacques-Yves Cousteau and first underwater habitats, he took classes in Institut Océanographique de Paris in 1970, while studying at French Institute of Urbanism and Ecole des Arts et Métiers under the lead of

Jean Prouvé Jean Prouvé (8 April 1901 – 23 March 1984) was a French metal worker, self-taught architect and designer. Le Corbusier designated Prouvé a constructeur, blending architecture and engineering. Prouvé's main achievement was transferring man ...

. In 1972 he got a master's degree in architecture. Rougerie bases his research on

bionic architecture Bionic architecture is a contemporary movement that studies the physiological, behavioural, and structural adaptions of biological organisms as a source of inspiration for designing and constructing expressive buildings. These structures are desi ...

, in accordance with principles of

sustainable development Sustainable development is an organizing principle for meeting human development goals while also sustaining the ability of natural systems to provide the natural resources and ecosystem services on which the economy and society depend. The des ...

, aiming at emphasizing the role of the sea in the history of humanity. Rougerie builds underwater habitats and laboratories, aquatic centers, transparent shell vessels, subaquatic museums and conceives underwater living areas. In 2008, Rougerie was elected at the

Institut de France The (; ) is a French learned society, grouping five , including the Académie Française. It was established in 1795 at the direction of the National Convention. Located on the Quai de Conti in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, the institute m ...

- Académie des Beaux-Arts and in 2009, he was awarded the

Légion d'Honneur The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon ...

. His flagship project ''

SeaOrbiter The SeaOrbiter, also known as Sea Orbiter (two words), is a proposed oceangoing research vessel. Construction was due to start in 2014 but by May 2015, only the Eye of ''SeaOrbiter'' has been completed, and as of early 2021, there is no news of ...

'', is a futuristic seabed exploration vessel. Rougerie is also involved in floating hotels and universities projects.

Main creations

Museums and aquatic centers

*1981 : Sea Pavilion (Kobe, Japan), *1989 : Océanopolis I (Brest), *1991 : Nausicaá I (Boulogne-sur-Mer), *2000 : Océanopolis II (Brest), *2001 : Nausicaá II (Boulogne-sur-Mer), *2014 : Caribbean Sea Centre (Guadeloupe), *2014 : Kochi Oceanarium (India), *2015 : Alexandria underwater archaeological museum (Egypt).

Underwater habitats

*1973-75 : « Village sous la mer », Virgin Islands (USA), conceived to work and live under the sea, *1977: « Galathée », his first underwater habitat, *1978-98: « Aquabulles », underwater shelter, *1981: « Hippocampe », subaquatic habitat, *1989: « Aqualab », underwater habitat-laboratory, based on the concept of transparent shells vessels, *1981: « Aquascopes », variable buoyancy trimaran, *1982 - 2000: « Aquaspace », sail trimaran with a transparent shell.

Other creations

*1991: Institut français d’Informatique (Marne la Vallée), *1991: Larousse Formula 1 Factory (Signes), *1994: Environmental research center (Dunkerque), *2009: Stade aquatique de l'agglomération de Vichy, *2012: La Tontouta International Airport, *2013:

Piscine Molitor ''Piscine Molitor'' (; also known as the ''Piscines Auteuil-Molitor'' or the ''Grands établissements balnéaires d'Auteuil'') is a swimming pool and hotel complex located in Porte Molitor, 16th arrondissement of Paris, Île-de-France, Paris, ...

Research and projects

* Marine City « City in the Ocean » (United Arab Emirates), * Embassair private airport terminals (London, New York), * Malley Star tower on positive energy (Prilly-Lausanne, Switzerland), * Shell Tower (United Arab Emirates), * Atlantide Hotelia Complex. *''Seaspacelab'' : underwater laboratory (USA), *''Aquaspace III'' : underwater observation trimaran, *''

'' : 58 m high, 31 immersed, ''SeaOrbiter'' is a project aimed at constant oceans observation. Drifting with the sea currents, this platform should enable divers and underwater robots to explore the marine life of the deep, underwater flaws and sunken ruins.

Bibliography

*''Habiter la mer'', (EMOM, 1978); *''Les Enfants du Capitaine Némo'', (Arthaud, 1985); *''De Lieues sous les Mers à SeaOrbiter'', (éditions Democratic Book, 2010)

References

External links

Official SiteSeaOrbiterJacques-Rougerie Foundation
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rougerie, Jacques 1945 births Living people Architects from Paris Arts et Métiers ParisTech alumni 20th-century French architects 21st-century French architects Members of the Académie des beaux-arts Members of the Académie d'architecture Underwater habitat designers Knights of the Legion of Honour