My Rainbow Nest

Mon Nid Arc En Ciel is a work of light architecture conceived and designed from A to Z by Marie-Ikram Bouhlel, founder and director of Atelier dada, with the collaboration of Paulina Medina Carillo, then an intern at the Paris studio. This personal initiative was imagined as a gift to the city of Paris, inspired by the archetype of the nest: a protective, suspended space woven into the urban fabric.

Located in the Square Sainte-Louise de Marillac, the structure takes the form of a multifunctional kiosk designed to host local neighborhood associations. Sheltered from surrounding noise and urban disturbance, it acts both as a refuge and as a suspended balcony, offering a renewed perception of public space.

The kiosk is defined by its circular geometry and interwoven wooden panels, forming a large inverted bird’s nest. Within this structure, birdhouses of varying sizes are integrated to welcome local wildlife, adding an ecological layer and a symbolic dialogue between human presence and the living world.

Inspired by the work of Olafur Eliasson, the colored glass panels of Mon Nid Arc En Ciel transform light into a living architectural material. Drawing from the spectrum of the rainbow, these panels interact with both natural and artificial light, generating subtle chromatic shifts that evolve with the movement of visitors. From within, they offer uninterrupted views of the square, while continuously reframing the surrounding landscape.

Beneath the kiosk, an open plenum hosts an immersive sound and light installation. A large neon disc emits a gradient of rainbow hues, producing changing visual atmospheres as light diffuses through the space. Sound, captured in real time, is amplified and projected into the environment, interacting with the central water feature beneath the structure. Each vibration creates unique ripples on the surface, translating sound into movement and reflection.

This sensory installation invites visitors into an experience where light, sound, architecture and nature converge. Conceived as a space of encounter, contemplation and creativity, Mon Nid Arc En Ciel reinterprets the history of the site while offering a poetic and forward-looking vision of public space, where the city becomes a place to inhabit with care, imagination and openness.