The Hive

30.06

Sunday

In Paris

♦ Time with Elsa, Nicolas, Renee, Marie-Caroline, John, Clem, and the little Isaac.

29.06

Saturday

In Paris

♦ Time with Frank, Nathalie, Ferdinand, Elsa, Nicolas, Renee, John, Laetitia, Marie and many others.

rien

28.06

Friday

Before the weekend

♦ Attempting to finish off the solar panel setup for the raspberry pi/microphone. Didn't work.

♦ Started dismounting the Aquaponic proto - end of an era, beginning of a new one.

27.06

Thursday

Carrying on with research about project 02

♦ I add one chapter to my research slide : the future of streets. Looking at what will streets look like in 100 years to push myself to see further, be more disruptive and audacious.

26.06

Wednesday

Ecosystem day
♦ The tiny cardboard version has been blown away by the wind or a sneaky human - it s gone forever.

♦ Chris swings by to give me the paper of her scooter - exciting.

♦ I carry on with the storyboard for the co-living.

♦ I also have a very interesting conversation with Maxime about local currency - related to setting one up here at the camp, but going down the most interesting rabbit holes.

25.06

Tuesday

Prototyping day

♦ We look at how to make a giant rock as a "scale 01" prototype. We end up making a small-scale, "sliced" cardboard version as a start.

♦ I also bump into an old document that retraces the experience at the Camp - basically what I have been doing, plus many mmore good things such as detailed user-journey.

rien

24.06

Monday

Prototyping day

♦ Beginning of the week.

... and a new week begins ...

23.06

Sunday

At and Near Antibes

♦ Catching u p with Myriam, visiting saint Paul de Vence and the Maeght foundation.

rien

22.06

Saturday

At and Near Antibes

♦ Catching up with Myriam, drinking the most ridiculous aount of champagne, pastis and wine.

21.06

Friday

Prototyping....

♦ ...followed by the "fete de la musique" in Aix-en-Provence with Chris, Cammilla and her partner, thanks to Julie giving me acccess to her appartment.

rien

20.06

Thursday

Visit from Matali Crasset

♦ Foor the first time someone underlines that the experience we are offering is an alternative to zoos - a more respectful one, keeping the animals in the wilderness.

♦ I get to speak with Fabien in charge of the creatino of a Living Lab in Aix - which is ultra interesting - finally a potential ouput for the project!

♦ At night I keep on benchmarking for project 02.

rien

19.06

Wednesday

Bioswelling my way around

♦ I put together a theory about the runoffs water from the city of Marseille, then chat with Nolwen about it. The problematic is not relevant : after she mentions this issue is not at the centre of environmental concerns for Locals, I dig further and realise the water becomes dangerously toxic only after a giant rainpour, and so because of a river dragging all sort of rubbish and pollutants with it. The city itself is not mentioned as the main pollution generator. I will keep the slides for another area of the world.

♦ Nevertheless, I see how such community effort could in theory make a dent in an environmental issue. It is just about picking a relevant subject.

♦ As I chat, Nolwen mentions Fabien, and we bump into each other, discussing about the project he works on, related to air quality as well as thermal regulation, much more relevant to the area. I think I have a lead, and perhaps a specialist.

Evening with Futur/IO, conference about future things and moonshot stuff. Fun. Amanda presents the project with her cute 7 year-old face. With that face she would sell headphones to a deaf person.

rien

18.06

Tuesday

Continuation of the design

♦ In the morning we carry on with the design of the object, and the correct data to cover is the "amount" of biodisversity - so low in ciies.

♦ In the afternoon I keep looking into the TelenaturaProject02, focusing on water runoff in the ccity of Mmarseille, if it is polluting, how to solve it and how to measure impact. Data will be the links between all Telenatura projects.

♦ Dorota and I also discuss with Pierre and Nicolas about the aquaponic design by the pond. I know have the pot that we can use, and the tubes. It is all about doing the 3d modelling to cut the wooden structure.

17.06

Monday

Getting started

♦ After benchmarking for Colimo, I quickly chat with Tiphaine about the general blur I currently experience (and shall get out of, following the quote from my good friend Churchill : "When going through a bit of a bumpy road (he might have used another word here), keep going"), I lunch with Pierre, discussing step 3 of the aquaponic adventure. Dorota is definitely in. Big Hive Meetup about our projects and then drawing session with the Telenatura team to give a shape to the experience before Matali Crasset comes in on Thursday.

♦ At night, I explore the Metabolic website and the De Ceuvel example of circular economy.

First meditation session in years.

... and a new week begins ...

16.06

Sunday

Covering my basics

♦ I run off to Aix to purchase swimming goggles and a bottle opener, swinging by Botanic to figure out which fish to use in aquaponic, only to realise they have no idea ("...gold fish?"), then mmake it just on time back to Thecamp to swim and have the very best shower of my life, outside at 6pm, facing le mont sainte victoire. So good.

♦ I also get the robotic arm to work.

15.06

Saturday

Open day at Coco velten

♦ I swing by and have a look - finally making it to the rooftop. I also discover there is a ceramic studio, a little makerspace and a bunch of super-cool people. I will take the best nap of my life outside, then have dinner with Pam and Stef at the cour Julien, sitting on the ground watching some insane acrobatics performance. And finally end at Coco&Nuts for a chilled evening in this cute ethical shop, before heading back to the camp for an after-midnight soccer game with the BMW branding team, by a fulll-moon. Ultra nice :)

14.06

Friday

Before the weekend

♦ A presentation about the use of meditation inlife in general. I leave half way through cause I cannot focus for more than 20 min on a new subject - the uppper floor in my brain is already full.

♦ Quick meeting with the Telenatura team and Tiphaine to see where next. Very loose organisatioonal approach, next team deadline on Tuesday.

♦ I finish the notes from Thursday visit and wednesday meeting with Arthur. I also Begin to smash the storyboard for the co-living project. It is nice and warm in my head so I use that momentum to get started.


♦ At the bar (that I now call my offfice space, avoiding the seclusion of the Hive) I meet up with Marina and Raphael, working on circular economy.

♦ I find a baby robotic arm at the fab lab that is unused so with the validation of Florence, I set it up at the Hive to play around over the weekend. It has got a pinch, a pen holder, head for 3d printer, laser... it will be fun.

We turn the stereo up for a bit before hitting the pillow really hard.

13.06

Thursday

Visit of the Babel Community in Marseille

♦ We go have a look at a co-living space in Marseille. To me this is a hotel which happened to have 5 appartements with 5 rooms each. They dug in some extra space in the basement for an amphi and a gym - small but well-executed - and a coworking space - disappointing. There are some events organised, but altogether it lacks the vibe of a community. It is just a shared space. Physical top-down co-living run as a business without co-creation/llaboration. I would go there if I knew nothing of Marseille, new in the city, with the idea to leave as soon as I have a friend group. Therefore I would limit my input in the space and the Babel Community.

Plenty of pictures below... Zito's stickers are expanding their marked territory.

12.06

Wednesday

After the presentation

♦ I set up at the bar, write my daily updates here and reflects on what happened in the last month and how it all happened. It re-frames a little where I am and what I do here - and reminds me that I really should enjoy this swimming pool more often. I begin to read a report about De Ceuvel, a work from Metabolic. Huge source of inspiration.

11.06

Tuesday

Presentation

♦ I attempt to put together a few slides to clarify my input to the project but time is running out. I end up with that funny slide (below) very much presenting solely my future probelematic rather than its development. To be continued!

♦ In the afternoon, we go through the presentation, fully handled by the rest of the team. It goes well, and you can see the slides here - all put together by Dorota, Bidisha and Amanda. During the Q&A session, I am surprised that we are not questionned about the environmental aspect of our project.

♦ I do stand out a little as this tall guy at the back who does not speak or interact. It sparks conversation after the presentation with other hivers which are very beneficial, questionning how to best put our focus to deliver something meaningful during the Hive. This is the first "I don't know why I am here for" moment, a mental discomfort that surely will bring up the right questions to answer over the next few days.

I go to bed soooo very early that day :)

10.06

Monday

Coming Back from Barcelona

♦ Long trip home on the bus, I see the slides made by Dorota and Bidisha in the last 24 hours, including a very first visual of the interactive object. This last-minute method does not work for me as it is stressful and therefore I am not particularly effective under such circumstances. This is a methodologic divide between the rest of the team and myself that I did not clarify until now. Once arrived at thecamp in the evening, although the timing is unfortunate to bring it up, I have to speak up to reason out my decision to not speak up during the presentation.

♦ My point is : I think of presentations as opportunity for the speaker to provide something that the audience can take away. Since my specific input to the project was defined on Friday and depends on the physical shape of the art installation, I have no well-articulated thought process or tangible experience to present.

♦ For the audience sake, this presentation could be a well-documented narration of what we dedicated ourselves to, going over the convoluted but insightful way forward. I sincerely think it would be useful to pull apart the methodological difficulties and physchological challenges encoutered during the ideation process in order to find fixes and shortcuts for the year after. The presentation has become the final objective of a specific given timeframe, which shift the focus away from the actual task.

I begin my research after 11pm as a attempt to come up with something for the day after. I find some very interesting insights about the use of vegetation in urban area.

... and a new week begins ...

09.06

Sunday

Beached in Barcelona

♦ Caught up with Carl, Julieanne and the rest of the family, swinging by Barcelona on their Eurotrip. Then a giant cycling loop with stopovers at the beach and foodplaces. Good vibes. I have a call From Dorota about the project but I am stressd as I don't know the shape of the project yet, so close to the presentation.

08.06

Saturday

Fix the Future conference

♦ Atlas of the future organises a 2-days conference called fixing the future. Osa and I attend the second day. Subject covered : Climate: justice, activism & resilience / Food: how we eat what we produce / Biodiversity: protecting the natural world / Oceans: save our seas / Culture and creativity: intergenerational wisdom and action.

♦ First discovery of Jock Zonfrillo a scottish chef settle in Oz and began a foundation protecting the aboriginal cultural knowledge - while also protecting them.

07.06

Friday

Clarifying our focus and next step.

♦ Waking up early to put together some of the slides - I feel the urge to get something started, whatever that is. The whole team then get together and discuss about our next step with Tiphaine acting as a facilitator, and checking our personal understanding of the project. It helps a little. Amanda comes up with a green dome concept that seems to be perfectly fitting, offering shelter to the art installation under it. But Dorota and Bidisha want to take the time to reflect on that idea with Pascal the day after, So we ll wait until they make their mind.

♦ Off to Barcelona...While on the bus, sketching a potential storyboard for the user experience. Amanda does the same and adds more details into hers.

06.06

Thursday

Realisation

♦ I wake up early realising that I have been inconsciously trying to design the project so as to not only reconnect humans with the natural world BUT ALSO addressing carbon emisssion in a direct, small but scalable approach. I just cannot help it, this priority is a consistently meaninful lifetime goal, and generational daily affair, an inner voice singing its song to me uninterruptedly. The initial choice of food production under a cooperative was just another enticing way for hungry humans to fill urban space with more CO2 fixing greeneries and avoid methane production through food waste. I litteraly cannot work on anything else - I have automated my thinking to answer this problematic each time I set a long-term goal for myself. So after exposing this difficulties to the team and Tiphaine we decide to meet up with her tomorrow.

♦ Co-living day. We ( Kido and I ) draw all ideas on the whiteboard.

05.06

Wednesday

Windy day

♦ The mini-greenhouse will fall twice today due to the wind and its shape, not adapted to high wind. I lose all my flies (tears tears) and put this little greenhouse into the bigger one like russian dolls. The good news is that with Pierre we discuss building an adapted one outdoor around the pond.

♦ We keep developping the project with the team during the day. It takes another long day of conversation, writing everything on the board to keep track of the conversation, agree, disagree, move on. We seem to get on a track we all agree on, and get to the moment where we need to define all tasks to how the next few months will unfold.

♦For dinner, I am graced by the presence of two visitors I am dearly pleased to see : Zoe and Liz, both running a Materiom workshop tomorrrow. Liz has begun to work for Metabolic.

♦ Because of that, I arrive to the after-dinner brainstorming session a few minutes after everyone. The team has felt the need to revert back to clarifying and writing down the goal of the project on a whiteboard - as a way to keep it consistently clear and carry on in this direction. I am afraid that it means they aren't finding the project drafted today satisfying. I look at the freshly drafted project goal and find in that late addition no substance to rejuvenate me - perhaps it has just been a long day or the subject has lost its appeal. Next Monday is the POC and we are back to the beginning, it is a confusing decision to take from a strategic perspective - although I understand the needs to do so.

♦ And this is the moment someone let me know that the mini-greenhouse has fallen again. So I get out to fix it, bringing with me my doubts about whether the rest of the brainstorming period will lead us anywhere.

rien

04.06

Tuesday

Writing documentation about the project as a group.

♦ We discuss the project in more details. We also discuss the concept with Sylvain. I begin to fill out a document (which template was given to us) and attempt to order the stream of thoughts.

03.06

Monday

Bouncing

♦ Big news : We just got our first couple of flies! After weeks waiting, they are now out, chilling in the fly lodge. I am so happy. Is that a taster of what it feels like to be a dad?

♦ We dig into the concept of a experiential green space, where the transpecies radio and other experiences can be exhibited. I take tons of notes in my brand new notebook.

... and a new week begins ...

02.06

Sunday

Luvly Luvly day

♦ Luvly day where luvly Ihab feeds me breakfast, I take a bike ride in the countryside to get to Aix despite missing the bus. Mimi, her husband Julien (did I get his name right?) and I catch up, and shout me a drink.

01.06

Saturday

Decelerating

♦ I copy-paste an email to Nolwen and Pierre about my whereabout at the greenhouse. Written French is a nightmare :

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Joyeux weekend a tous! Quelques nouvelles de la mare...

L'objectif etant de transformer les dechets organiques en vegetaux croquants, je me suis particulierement focalise sur la premiere etape de ce systeme. Je faisais en sorte que les larves soldats se reproduisent joyeusement. Pendant qu elles "incubaient" (et y sont encore), une autre espece locale, plus petite, les a remplacees. Elles sont voraces et se multiplient non-stop, ce qui est extremement prometteur : Il y avait 40 grammes de larves pretes a etre devorees chaque jours!

Helas le "compost" ou elles etaient logees a pris l'eau de facon enigmatique, et elles n'ont pas appreciees. C est donc a refaire, mais il y a des tonnes de larves dans le compost de Thecamp si besoin est...

Etant donne que le repas est servi, j ai fait quelques recherches sur les poissons carnivores. En toute logique, les poissons carnivores, c'est des poissons plus gros que d'autres poissons. J aurai du penser a ca avant de choisir un aquarium de 20 litres...

Le seul poisson carnivore qui puisse vivre dans un mini aquarium, c est le poisson combattant - le seul qui n acceptera absolument pas d'avoir des copaings! C est pas ideal, puisque l idee, c'est d'avoir une population de poisson dense pour augmenter le taux de nitrite dans l eau dont les plantes raffolent.

Du coup, l'option de base serait de prendre un bassin plus large pouvant accueillir des gros poissons. Ou plusieurs petits bassins pour une myriades de poissons combattants. On pourrait meme organiser des combats cruels le weekend et remplacer les corridas.

En attendant ce jour, je me suis dit que, etant donne que la mare est a exactement 3 metres de la mini-serre et que ca pullule de poissons, je pouvais simplement les connnecter (Oui, oui, on y a tous pense mais je suis tetu parfois...). J ai donc bouge la mini-serre et place la bouche de la pompe dans la mare. Je ne vais pas gagner de prix d'architecture ce coup la, mais c'est objectivement un systeme aquaponique qui se dresse au milieu du potager.<

La recherche ne fait que commencer, puisque qu il faudrait maintenant suivre de pres les niveaux de differents facteurs, afin de voir quelle influence ce changement va avoir sur la croissance des vegetaux et de la mare. Je serait curieux de tester cela sur les deux prochaines semaines, si la mini-serre la ou elle est installee ne posent pas de probleme.

De maniere plus globale, apres quelques mois passes ici, je commence a comprendre comment un systeme aquaponique pourrait etre developpe de facon plus douce et plus en symbiose avec ce qui est deja present. L'etape initiale serait un plan d'eau (existant ou autre), et s en suivrait l'ajout du systeme de canalisation tres tres simple s'articulant autour de ce plan d'eau. Ca aurait certainement une forme tres differente des fermes aquaponiques tres carrees qui se developpent en centre ville. Et je pense qu'un systeme de pompe base sur le vent serait plus adapte, au vu des rafales qu on se prend dans le nez.

Fin du roman, et au plaisir!

Baptiste
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