The Gaïette installation is a work created and realized by Atelier Faber and Anna Saint-Pierre, commissioned by the city of Raismes and the association Art et Jardins Hauts-de-France. The association’s mission is to reveal and question the heritage and memorial sites of the Hauts-de-France region.
© Giaime Meloni
Gaïette spectacularly captures the transformation of the Raismes landscape, a metamorphosis shaped by a century of mining activity and the subsequent evolution of the site into a park post-1980. The landscape is characterized by mountains of shale covered with birches, remnants of brick embedded in clay and soil, and the ghostly presence of a head frame, which was the starting point for a descent into the mines.
© Giaime Meloni
The title “Gaiette” refers not only to the coveted coal fragments but also to the women who meticulously distinguished these gleaming, brilliant treasures from the surrounding shale. The artists chose to represent the former pits, now invisible, with solid cylindrical structures, replicating their ground coverage (Ø3-5m). The installation serves as a spatial reference to imagine the miners’ journey during their descent to a depth of 700 meters.
© Giaime Meloni
Adding a tactile dimension to this narrative, the installation features wooden shingles coated in a lustrous black coal paint, derived from gaiettes collected around the Sabatier pit. These shingles, painted by the community during interactive workshops, are installed on four wooden cylinders, replicating the diameters of the former Sabatier and Vicoigne extraction pits, and offer a spatial exploration of this nearly erased history. Notably, the Scots pines used for the shingles are sourced from the Raismes forest, a woodland cultivated by German prisoners after World War I as part of the war debt, and intended to reinforce the underground galleries.
© Giaime Meloni
Strategically placed at the base of the Sabatier headframe, flanked by spoil tips 174 and 175, Gaïette is more than a visual exhibit. It encapsulates the essence of Raismes’ mining heritage, echoing the profound landscape, societal, and economic upheavals induced by coal mining, a defining element of the Anthropocene era. This artistic endeavor also symbolizes the local community’s determination to safeguard their history, standing firm against industrial encroachment and preserving the essence of their collective identity.
Project Info
Architects: Anna Saint-Pierre, Atelier Faber
Country: France, Raismes
Area: 114 m²
Year: 2023
Photographs: Giaime Meloni
Category: Installations & Structures, Arts & Architecture
Madeline Brooks is a Projects Editor at Arch2O, where she has been shaping and refining architectural content since March 2024. With over a decade of experience in editorial work, she has curated, revised, and published an array of projects covering architecture, urbanism, and public space design. A graduate of the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, Madeline brings a strong academic foundation and a discerning editorial eye to each piece she oversees. Since joining Arch2O, she has played a pivotal role in shaping the platform’s editorial direction, with a focus on sustainability, social relevance, and cutting-edge design. Madeline excels at translating complex architectural ideas into clear, engaging stories that resonate with both industry professionals and general readers. She works closely with architects, designers, and global contributors to ensure every project is presented with clarity, depth, and compelling visual narrative. Her editorial leadership continues to elevate Arch2O’s role in global architectural dialogue.