Didier Fiuza FAUSTINO, Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde (2009). Rhône-Rhin Canal (France)

© france dubois

Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is a dual architecture which combines conservation of waterway heritage and modernisation. The ordinariness of the existing prefabricated cabin that can be found all along the canal, immediately appealed to Didier Faustino. The artwork appears as an inseparable extension of the former cabin, casting its alter ego 6 meters from the ground. The new cabin reveals a sculptural object which transforms a simple functional object into a fantastic object. It is this duality that inspired the title Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde, in reference to the story by Robert Louis Stevenson. This technical structure can be put to many uses by lock operators. There is a piloting station on the ground floor from where to communicate with boaters and ensure their safety and there is its “double” upstairs which provides a wider view of the site. Other than the stairs leading up to the top floor, the extension contains the facilities required by the lock operator when on duty (kitchen area and washroom).