PK + ISLA
C L I M A T E T E M P L E S
The Île-de-France Architecture and Landscape Biennial (BAP!2025), France’s most important architectural event, will host the innovative “Climate Temples” project developed by Isla (architects) in collaboration with Studio Paparkone (ceramicists). The exhibition, to be held in Versailles from 6th May to 13th July 2025, will be curated by architects Sana Frini (LOCUS) and Philippe Rahm (PHILIPPE RAHM ARCHITECTES) under the title “Quatre degrés Celsius entre toi et moi”.
This edition of BAP addresses an inescapable reality: France will experience a temperature increase of +4°C by 2100, transforming Paris’s current temperate climate into a subtropical climate similar to regions like Mexico, Tunisia, or South Korea. Faced with this scenario, Isla and Studio Paparkone propose a network of ceremonial structures – small “templetes” – that create spaces for respite and gathering throughout the city, moving away from the concept of emergency climate refuges to focus on care, community, and cultural continuity.
About ISLA
isla is a Mallorca based architecture and design practice founded by Marta Colón de Carvajal and Juan Palencia.
Working with a contextual approach—starting from the place and the culture—isla focuses on revealing potentialities of what is already there, underlining the craftsmanship and knowledge of those who came before in order to craft a radically contemporary approach to each project. Beyond a predefined style or aesthetic, the office produces appropriate responses to each individual context, in collaboration with all the agents who are involved.
1. Introduction
In response to the increasing temperatures projected for Paris in 2100, we propose a network of structures’ – small ceremonial temples that create spaces of respite and gathering throughout the city. Moving away from the emergency-focused notion of climate refuges, these structures embody a more nuanced approach to climate adaptation, focusing on care, community, and cultural continuity. These pavilions provide naturally cooled spaces, protection from extreme weather, and comfortable gathering areas, while celebrating the act of seeking shelter as a communal ritual rather than a last resort.
2. Urban Integration
The project proposes a series of strategic interventions throughout Paris, creating a constellation of cooling spaces that complement existing urban infrastructure. Each structure forms a symbiotic relationship with city elements – particularly public fountains, whose water features enhance the cooling properties of our ceramic elements through evaporation. The structures can also integrate with existing trees, creating layered shade patterns and enhanced microclimate effects. This pilot program demonstrates how small-scale, carefully placed interventions can create a network of comfortable public spaces that respond to increasing urban temperatures while respecting and enhancing the existing urban fabric.
3. Construction System, Materiality, and Structure
The materiality centers on the relationship between fire and protection. Handcrafted ceramic tiles, produced in collaboration with our Neapolitan ceramist partner, form the protective skin of each structure. These tiles honor the Mediterranean tradition where roof tiles were shaped on craftsmen’s thighs, resulting in subtle variations that reflect human touch and scale. Like the Spanish botijo, the porosity of the terracotta naturally aids in cooling through evaporation, while also channeling and collecting rainwater through their thoughtfully designed forms. The tiles are not merely shade devices but active environmental moderators that create ventilation patterns through their arrangement and filter light through their careful spacing.
The supporting structure employs reclaimed timber and scaffolding elements, referencing both temporary construction techniques and traditional timber framing. This combination of ceramic and timber creates a lightweight, adaptable system that can be easily assembled, modified, and potentially relocated as needed, while maintaining a connection to traditional building crafts.
4. Symbolism and Tradition
Some ceramic roof tiles of the Climate Temples feature hand-painted symbols that connect deeply to Mediterranean cultural heritage and environmental awareness. These decorative elements draw from ancient traditions where roof tiles were often inscribed with protective symbols to guard the dwelling and its inhabitants from natural disasters, evil spirits, and misfortune.
The painted motifs incorporate water symbols representing rainfall and hydration; solar patterns marking the changing angles of the sun throughout seasons; wind directional indicators acknowledging air movement as critical for natural cooling; and vegetation motifs celebrating the relationship between built and natural environments.
Each temple features a unique combination of these symbols, creating a visual language that connects Paris’s future climate challenges with centuries-old wisdom from regions that have long adapted to warmer conditions.
Through this symbolic vocabulary, the roof tiles transform from mere construction materials into cultural artifacts that tell stories about climate adaptation, community resilience, and the transmission of environmental knowledge across generations and geographies.
© isla x Paparkone 2025, photo: María Francesca Lui