Urbanism Against Culture (People 2013, by Nicolas Brodard) - Swiss Press Award
La Cité
Nicolas Brodard
Published in the bi-monthly newspaper La Cité from April 27, 2012 to May 11, 2012 under the title "At the heart of the city of Fribourg, where urban planning and culture no longer mix well," the series of portraits presented here was created with the aim of revealing places and activities that are little known to the people of Fribourg, and more broadly, to denounce an urban planning policy that stifles and threatens artistic and craft activities in the city of Fribourg. Indeed, for several years, the demographic expansion of a canton that thinks big has pushed authorities and real estate investors to rationalize spaces in the city of Fribourg. As a result, the future of former industrial zones that have not yet been transformed into residential neighborhoods is in danger. More than the former industrial zones and their own heritage, it is all the activities they host that are in danger. In Fribourg, artists, musicians, artisans, freelancers, and other cultural actors are complaining that they can no longer find premises to carry out their activities. By revealing unique interiors that hint at a range of activities little-known to Fribourg residents and French-speaking residents, and by personifying these spaces through the presence of their occupants, journalist Jean-Christophe Emmenegger and I, along with photographer Nicolas Brodard, wanted to put pressure on the authorities to become aware of the problem and take action. During our research, we discovered numerous dysfunctions within the architectural departments of the city and the canton, but above all, we noticed a total lack of interest in preserving the cultural heritage of a city that was, in its time, a bastion of art and alternative culture. Today, a project for a Maison des Artistes has emerged in Fribourg and seems to be well on its way, with the support of the city. We hope that our report will have helped to put pressure on and encourage the stakeholders involved to react. Nicolas Brodard is a freelance photographer born on March 20, 1985. Working more widely internationally, he regularly focuses on the future of his city, Fribourg, as well as his country.
