Une « machine à habiter » fragile : la Résidence Lemonnier

Abstract

Through a two-year-long ethno-graphic study conducted within an ageing modernist building, the Résidence Lemonnier, this article provides a fresh perspective on the “machine for living” concept, by focusing on its fragility. The article follows the evolution of the building’s facade through its various stages of existence, both in its remarkable moments of disruption and repair, and in the everyday practices of care and maintenance. Through this approach, this study aims to highlight the relationships of care, engagement and neglect that arise around the material environment of the residence. This analysis, attuned to the sociomaterial evolution of the building, reveals, on a broader scale, the emotional and political dimensions of declining domestic infrastructure.

Image: Dégâts causés par la tempête Ciara à la Résidence Lemonnier, Bruxelles. Photo : Tim Dirven, 2020.