The Great Arch (2025) Movie Script
Mr. President of the Republic.
So, what do you think?
It's very beautiful.
I'm glad you like the project.
Is the building not too high?
Not at all, Mr. President.
Congratulations, the choice is very audacious.
Who is the architect, Mr. President?
You ask Subilon to find out.
No, Mr. President, it is your honor to announce the name of the winner.
The glasses.
Yes.
In any case, I want to congratulate the jury members for their proposal.
Here you go, Mr. President.
Johann Otto von Spreckelsen.
Mr. Milon, can you tell us more about our laureate?
So, his name is Johann Otto von Sprechelsen.
He was born in Denmark in 1929.
He submitted his project in his own name and not with an agency.
And that's all I have here.
Call the laureate so I can congratulate him.
I only had a postal address.
Call the Danish embassy.
It's a small country, they'll be able to help you.
The Danish embassy... Ah!
Hello.
The Presidency of the Republic is trying to reach one of your compatriots, who has been appointed to design the future CICOM, International Center for Communication and Defense.
It's the architect Johann Otto von Spreckelsen.
Von, yes, Spreckelsen.
Good.
Alright.
Thank you.
Unbelievable, nobody knows this guy.
Sir!
Are you Johan Otto-Van Strakelsen?
You won the
So, the President of the Republic would like to meet you.
We should quickly consider the follow-up to this excellent news.
Good night.
Mr. Sprague-Lewson speaks French, so... You can question him.
Madam?
Very simple question.
Who are you?
Hello.
My name is Otto von Sprague-Lewson.
I am Danish and 53 years old.
In Copenhagen, I teach architecture.
Architecture, I am not young.
It interests me.
It's very inspiring to participate in a competition for a project located in Paris.
Excuse me, can you tell us about the genesis of this idea?
Yes.
It's because the idea was very obvious.
I presented my project.
Paris has great monuments.
like the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the Pompidou Center.
These monuments don't resemble Paris, but they symbolize this city.
I wanted to find a new form for Paris, and Paris doesn't have a cube.
Can we know a little more about the purpose of this international communication center?
For now, it remains quite vague.
It will be a meeting place.
A meeting place for whom?
For humanity.
Sir, you told us you were 53, a respectable age, you're the same.
More seriously, let's agree that it's an uncommon age to step into the limelight, isn't it?
Age is just a number.
What have you built in your career?
I built my house and four churches.
Do you think they pay for everything?
Of course.
What about the grandchildren?
Yes, otherwise, they pay themselves.
It's not a problem.
Hello.
Hello, Mr. Svrigelsen.
I have an outside call for you.
Who is it?
I'll put you through.
Hello, Mr. Shprekelsen.
Hello.
The President would like to validate an aspect of your project with you.
What aspect?
The President called me this morning to remind me how attached he was to the perspective drawn by ours.
You know, this path that starts from the Louvre Palace and opens to the West, passing through the Arc de Triomphe, means a lot to the President.
It is, after all, the historic royal axis.
And you know that you are situating your cube on this historic royal axis.
But of course, that was the competition site.
The President does not want this perspective to be damaged.
No, no, no.
It will not be damaged.
You can reassure her.
That is to say, the President would like to be able to represent things more fully.
Can you be clearer?
The President saw the model, didn't he?
Precisely, the President wants something else.
Something other than the model.
Yes.
Very good.
I'll take care of it.
Thank you, Mr. Schmeichelson.
You who come from the North, what is your view on our Catholic cathedrals and their often demonstrative splendor?
I'm sorry, Mr. President, but my expectations are too high.
You did well to choose my cube rather than a cathedral.
It was a question without ulterior motive.
It still happens to me to ask a few.
When I am on friendly ground, probably.
I heard you built several chapels.
Yes, I built two Catholic chapels and two Protestant churches.
Where does this appetite for places of worship come from?
I have a religious education.
Me too, but I haven't built four churches.
Until my marriage, I sang in a choir.
I was often in the churches of Shemsa.
Please forgive me.
It seems everything is ready, Mr. President.
Very good.
Tell them we're coming.
Good.
Mr. President.
Ah!
Do you have a pair of binoculars?
Of course.
Here.
I'll take the binoculars.
Of course.
Let's go straight this way.
It will be more pleasant to walk.
You understand, I am solely accountable for the perspective before the nation.
I must take all the precautions my responsibility requires.
But the cube is not high.
It will respect the great balances.
You will see, the simulation, everything is very clear.
Here is the cube, Mr. President.
What you see is the upper part of the building.
I remind you that the cube will be open.
That's very good.
And the perspective is respected.
It's really very good, but it's blue.
Yes, it's blue.
I would have preferred it to be pink.
Ah, when the sun sets, it will be pink.
Can I see?
Yes, of course.
This evening, if you like.
I see there's a stir.
See you tonight, Mr. Architect.
Calm down.
You can't go out like that.
No one knows I'm here.
It's the safest place for me.
We can't start over like that.
But we did it this morning, we can do it tonight, right?
But we already had all the difficulties in the world just to get this street.
We'll find another one.
No, there's no model that big in France.
Besides, it's a German street.
Ciboulon, the president wants to see.
And meanwhile, SICOM is paying.
SICOM is created by the president, he is the client.
We have to do what the client wants, right?
Mr. Tavelli, the crane operator.
Yes, Mr. Tavelli, come in, please.
I'm delighted to see you.
Precisely, we were wondering if it would be possible to repeat this wonderful experience tonight.
When the sun sets, please.
It's complicated now.
I have my niece's wedding and I have to take the crane back to Marseille.
I am well aware, but we absolutely must redo the test.
I propose to extend your emoluments by 7500 francs.
I'm willing to do you this favor, but the price is 50,000.
50,000?
Starting tonight, we switch to weekend hours.
Are you talking about compensation for workers who have already made commitments, and as I told you, it's my niece's wedding.
You prefer to go.
There, okay.
We didn't discuss it either.
It's settled.
Your rate will be mine.
Thank you, Mr. Tadeli, for your availability.
Goodbye, ladies and gentlemen.
Very good.
It's pink.
You said it.
That's good.
It's absolutely pink.
It's very, very good.
I have decided to inaugurate your cube for the festivities of the Bicentenary of the Revolution.
In the name of the French people, I congratulate you.
Thank you again, Mr. Architect.
It's an honor, Mr. President.
Come visit me whenever you want to give me news of the construction site.
Certainly, Mr. President.
Goodbye.
At the end of extending this mega-slab, and above all, above all, that there is a crane test, the Prefect asks me what we are doing.
Yes, we are finished.
Wonderful.
We're done.
Attention!
Excuse me!
It's very impressive.
We are building a new world, my dear friend.
We must know how to celebrate it.
To you, the honors.
No, no, I can't.
I'm too superstitious.
I can't.
I'm sorry.
Very good.
I'm sorry.
Come on, who will have the responsibility to cut this masterpiece?
So, sir, at your niece's wedding.
There's no more wedding than butter on a butt.
What do you mean?
Actually, I don't have a niece.
It was to drive up the bidding.
You can't teach an old dog new tricks.
This time, it's on, right?
Have you had a chance to think about your design team?
Not yet, not yet.
President, we need to be ready for the Bicentenary of the Revolution.
That forces us to go very fast.
I've prepared a first list.
There you go.
These are the trusted companies.
Is that good?
Knock knock.
This car is very beautiful.
Yes, it's very beautiful, but we'll be too late.
We are here in the first district of Tours built in Paris, on the banks of the Seine.
There were urban constraints, technical ones too, and particularly the whole problem of networks.
Saint-Germain is the design company that built the entire slab.
That's correct.
We also built several towers.
The most recent one is this one.
The construction started at the end of 1981, so we went very fast.
And that's the one we're going to visit.
With pleasure.
Roto?
Roto, are you not feeling well?
Did they make the jump?
Well, it's them, they made the whole slab.
And that... How do you say that?
A snail.
A snail?
No, no, no.
That, that.
The joints.
The joints?
The joints, are they?
We can ask them to check, but yes, it must be them.
But aren't the joints irregular?
Yes, well, if that's the case, don't forget that detail.
Subilant.
It's not a detail.
Look.
Look.
That.
There's grass between the joints and here.
Nothing.
The rhythms are not respected and that is very important.
At all.
Very important.
All we need are the joints of the valley.
Come visit the building.
Meet Mr. St-Germain.
He's a construction enthusiast.
Moreover, your cube is already captivating.
He will be at your beck and call, it's his job.
No.
I can't.
You can't do what?
I can't see anything else.
I'm talking to you, but I only see the sample.
He's waiting for us, your neighbor.
It's possible to be rescheduled this afternoon.
Is it inconvenient?
Listen to me closely.
It's very important.
It's the patient's foundation.
The foundation.
Very important.
Say I fainted.
Say what you want.
I think there's a mistake here.
It says 25 instead of 2.5.
It's not a mistake.
I had about 25 million.
In fees?
They won't believe it's enough if they don't have an office.
Everyone can have an office.
No.
You have a vision.
I think they understood it was a provocation.
I think.
There will be discussions, that's for sure.
You know them, they like to discuss.
But we also have something to give, and that's why I propose to start with the companies from the top.
25 million francs, that's the joy of having clear water.
Listen to me carefully.
The mud is estimated at 1.3 billion francs.
We are asking for less than 10%.
So that's enough.
Look.
You shouldn't give up your rights.
What do you mean?
The right to shelter.
If someone takes a picture of the Cup, you should deal with it.
The Cup will be part of the urban space.
Yes, but it's not an original work at all.
With the right to shelter.
I don't see why it would be different for you than for a sculptor or an artist.
Is that legitimate?
No, it's a legal zone.
Listen, you designed the cup, you created it.
It's your work.
I don't see why you should be the administrator.
I don't think anyone has ever done it before.
Never.
But there's no one who has never won a competition like that.
Listen, builder, how far along are you?
What did you think of Bergeron?
You saw him this morning, didn't you?
My marine is not convinced.
He only talks about concrete techniques.
Yes, but don't lose sight of the fact that he executes orders.
The cubes require a very fine approach and I don't see that in his work.
Oh really?
We'll still have to agree on a French builder who will find favor in your eyes.
And who votes?
There, however, I fear it will be impossible.
Impossible.
Again, it's a relationship to build with a partner.
That's good.
Our project must be very precise.
It's like a fugue, but broader.
Monumental.
Yes, I understand the analogy, but... No, no, no, wait.
A fugue is a subject, a response and the repetition of the same motif.
That's exactly what we propose with the cube.
We have the large cube and the small cube.
Subject and response.
Full and empty.
And you are meeting GSC this afternoon.
GSC is a very good design office.
I want to go to Denmark to meet some builders.
There are very competent people there.
Forgive me, but we have to find someone here.
The tender regulations clearly stipulated that the winning architect undertook to work with a French company.
Did you receive our contract proposal?
For now, my husband is working, they are delighted, but there is no real framework.
Ultimately, this may be uncomfortable for you and for us.
Louise?
Yes?
Where are we with Mr. Shprekelsen's contract?
It's there, it's ready for signature.
Good, bring it to me then, so we can move forward.
The President of the Republic has given us a direction.
He wants us to inaugurate the SICOM.
Thank you, Louise.
At the same time as the bicentenary.
Which forces us to go fast.
So let's go fast and do well.
In general, when I lose a competition, I'm a bad loser, because I continue to think that my proposal was the best.
In the case of defense, I am inclined when I discovered your drawing.
You got everyone to agree.
I am very happy to meet the man who got a whole profession to agree.
That's very kind.
Thank you.
I would like to see your glass tubes, please.
Of course.
I just wanted to show you this point of view that I really like.
and which helps to understand the logic of this airport, which offers an innovative layout.
You see that we are both militant geometers, you designed a cube, and I, for my part, thought of Roissy as a circle.
Yes, it's very beautiful.
And I understand the principle of the circle.
But for my work, I would like to see your tubes below.
Here is a specimen of tube, right here.
Some compare the terminal to a bicycle cup.
Concrete is a magnificent material, but it is rough, massive, and these glass tubes bring lightness.
But it's not just glass.
That's true.
There is also aluminum for the structure.
But I want to make a structure that is only glass.
Only.
So, explain to me the exact object of your research.
So... You know the main cube, like that.
There's also the small cube right next to it, like that.
I want clouds to connect the elements.
And these are these clouds that you would like to make of glass?
I want to make them of crystal.
Crystal.
I want them to float.
Then in that case, it could also be fiberglass or canvas.
That's the other possibility.
And how would you fix them, on a pylon?
No, no.
I want the cloud to float.
Well, in that case, you have to hang them.
And I want two types of clouds to create variation.
Like that.
Yes, I understand.
Anyway, you need an attachment point.
May I?
So, maybe it could be at the top.
You need a design and engineering firm, and I have the teams to deal with the technical complexity of the operation.
I can't stand the conclusion that no French builder is up to your arch.
I am French.
I have the pretension to be able to implement its realization.
But you have many projects, why do you want to build the cubes?
If I propose this collaboration, it's primarily because I think, like you, that the arch is the adequate answer.
It's hot?
That's already a lot.
I'm used to big construction sites, but it's not often that I encounter such a powerful project.
Paris.
After you.
It's very beautiful.
All the proportions are right.
Thank you.
I designed everything.
I followed the manufacturing of each accessory, the organ, the beams, the handles, the altar,
I created everything.
In the same way, I designed the cube and I want to be its project manager until the end.
But... But I suppose you... You don't want to be a simple builder.
I am an architect.
I have nevertheless built several international airports.
Exactly.
What statue do you want for the cube?
To be honest, I was considering a shared project management, one project, two architects.
Forgive me, but despite all my respect for you and your work, this configuration will not be in accordance with my approval.
The cube is the work of my life.
It's Mary's work.
All my work, all my research, all my life, led me to this design.
So I say without pretension, if you and I want to collaborate on the cube, there must be a hierarchy between us.
I understand.
...
...
The arch is an important work.
I propose to be your project manager for the realization.
That is to say?
There will indeed be two architects, but I will be your executor.
You design.
I work at your service for the operational realization of the arch.
I noticed you say "arch" and not "cube".
Yes, it's because your cube is open, but... I can certainly say "cube," if you prefer.
It emanates from me.
That I say "arch"?
Yes.
And that you are my project manager for the realizations.
I would need to see your plans.
Here.
It's very beautiful, but you don't have anything else?
There's that too.
I need the floor plans.
Since the competition, you haven't drawn any plans?
I designed the balance between the large cubes and the small cubes.
As you know, I think a lot about clouds.
I'm still looking for their shape.
I also have this drawing that I really like.
Here, the clouds are lower, but we need to do on-site tests, I think.
I suggest we start with the general form.
The plan, the foundations, before considering the rest of the program.
And when the time comes, we can do computer simulations, especially for the clouds.
Very good, as you wish, but Andr, I only work by hand.
I hate... Computers.
Computers.
I'm afraid they will shape thought, and so will construction.
No, but the gesture is yours.
Really, the machines will only serve to implement what you have determined, rest assured.
Very good, but... I prefer working without computers.
Silo.
The specificity of your cube is to be both a building with exhibition halls, offices, and a work of art.
And it is a bridge that must span all these networks.
However, if all bridges move, the offices must be stable.
That is the technical challenge of the cube.
And to meet it, we will have to do many calculations in a very short time, because our deadlines are tight.
Without IT, it's unfeasible.
We must embrace modernity, use all resources to calculate the forces at play as precisely as possible.
So, I will compile your sketches, and we will convert them into plans.
Please.
My wife needs to fix something on the model.
Don't worry, I only work on the models.
It's essential for the glass facade to be absolutely simple.
I understand, but for the arch, we never have a perfect straw.
Oh, you have to try it.
There will always be spaces.
It's inevitable.
In the church I built in Staunton, the altar is monumental.
And I created a 4-square-meter panel, with 4 different samples for each facade.
Your monumental altar measures 4 square meters?
For each facade, yes.
This marriage between the matte and the brilliant is very beautiful.
We are still looking for a solution for the glass.
Ideally, one piece.
Mr. Billon informed me that you are working with Andr.
Yes, but he only deals with the construction.
We created the title of project manager for realization.
Yes, why not.
And what do you think of French architects?
I'm not talking about Andr, but in general.
Your outside perspective interests me.
He works quite well, but... I find him sometimes... inhibited.
That's absolutely right.
Moreover, I observe that he only manages to build outside of France.
This situation will also have to change.
Please.
This is the perspective of the people who are suffering.
You have to get down to street level.
Yes, that's it, but a little lower.
Do you see the perspective better now?
That's very good.
But you know, for your glass facades, I know who you should contact.
An architect?
Yes, but he is not French.
You should meet Pei.
He built a glass tower in Boston.
I saw it, not a single pane out of place.
It's striking.
We can definitely arrange a meeting?
Of course.
You should have already done it.
I saw him yesterday, he's still in Paris today.
Take advantage of it.
It's possible.
Of course it's possible.
I've done a lot of tests before, there's only one solution, which is to glue steel with silicone glue.
There are no visible attachments or joints.
Yes, that's exactly what I want.
But you know, my builder told me it couldn't be done.
Who is your builder?
Paul Andr, and I really appreciate him, but I feel like he's focused on the technical aspect.
We know each other very well.
Tell him to call me.
I would be very happy to invite you to Boston to see the tower.
It's going to be difficult now.
Why is it so difficult?
Because Supilong is very enthusiastic to start building right now.
So the cube will be there for hundreds and hundreds of years, but it's very important that we start right away.
You know what?
In Chinese, they say... And what does that mean?
If it's urgent, take your time.
That's very good.
So, what do you think of my pyramid?
I think it will be absolutely incredible.
We are very familiar with this glued glass technique.
I don't understand.
You didn't tell me anything.
Why?
It is indeed a very conclusive technique.
But you won't be able to use it for the cube.
Why?
This technique is perfect for the cube.
Glued glass is not approved.
But the Americans have been using silicone glue for ten years.
Paye showed me photographs of the statues in Boston.
Yes, but this technique is not authorized in France.
The CEP invalidated it.
The what?
The CEP, the Center for Study and Prevention.
Moreover, its opinion has just been confirmed by the conclusion of the CSTB, Scientific and Technical Center for Building.
The President told me to talk to Pei.
Yes, but if Pei then recommends a technique forbidden by national regulations, the problem remains the same.
But is it possible to request a modification to this law?
No.
Security communities are independent.
How do you create a smooth facade?
How do you respect the client?
The client will never blame you for respecting the legislation.
And you?
What do you say?
There's nothing to say.
I told you it was impossible to have a perfectly smooth facade.
We will do our utmost to get close to it, but we cannot override the security commission.
Service is finished, sir.
I have an appointment with Mr. Leloup?
Yes, he's waiting for you at the back.
Thank you very much.
I am lucky to have an outside perspective, while knowing the neighborhood very well.
I know you're running into a number of problems.
I know there are no details.
Especially in a project as radical as yours.
So I prefer to tell you directly.
As things are going, in two years, you'll still be in foundations.
I know this villain by heart.
He's a technocrat.
I don't know.
It's not a matter of personal real estate.
It's an observation that is chilling and a symptom of a typically French ailment.
It's very paradoxical.
He wants to go fast, but he's causing the blockage.
Because he is out of touch with reality.
His logic is bureaucratic.
And he doesn't know much about construction.
It wouldn't be a problem if he didn't pretend to be in project management.
Rendre them, on the other hand, is not a bad choice.
But to meet your deadlines, your project management lacks know-how.
It lacks perseverance.
Mr. Leloup... Leloup.
Mr. Leloup... You asked to meet me.
And you talked about solutions.
And I'd like to know more.
I want to sit here and talk about problems I already know.
Do you have problems with glued glass?
Yes, I have problems.
News travels fast here.
Today, it's glass.
Tomorrow, it's something else.
The lift, security access.
Not to mention Marlowe.
Marble is far too important, and I have already identified some varieties in Tuscany, so... It's not important.
If you keep the current configuration, you will be stuck in a power balance that will always be unfavorable to you, no matter the subject.
So, what do you advise?
With Subilon, you're not going anywhere.
But am I really an amateur?
Of course you are.
You can make a case for incompatibility of character, and I'll take care of the rest.
I have economic arguments to make, and I also have my own network of support among election officers.
I built all the towers of La Dfense.
I want to make this area the largest business district in Europe, bigger than the City of London.
And your cube will be the cornerstone of this district.
It's a manifesto.
Today, if you entrust me with the project, I will be the investor who will help you build your cube, exactly as you designed it.
Subilan is the man of the houses.
I'm not going to argue with you.
He's his valet.
Mitterrand is my client, and I always respect my client.
And this assessment has Mitterrand's trust.
So, he has my trust.
Allow me to finish, I haven't completed my proposal.
I understood your proposal.
You want to take power, but your little strategies and calculations don't interest me.
I am an architect.
Good evening.
We have developed a system of closed panels for the passages.
Sorts of very discreet clamps that will hold the glass.
It will work regardless of the supported material.
And for the interior, we have received the first templates that we can test on the frames to check everything.
When can we do these tests?
Very soon, but we'll have to think about access for maintenance.
If there will be no open frames?
I want the anterior window to be able to open.
I don't understand.
The anterior windows must open for ventilation.
Ventilation?
Yes.
Ventilation.
Like Le Corbusier.
Have you heard of this guy?
I suppose you've heard of him.
It was indeed you who designed the two leaves, the outer facade and the inner panes, to be glued to the concrete structure.
Yes.
Indeed.
That's what I want.
Can we have a little silence?
We're in a meeting.
Thank you.
It was you who demanded a gap of 90 centimeters between the two walls.
Exactly.
To create a space for breathing and openness in the closed offices.
But it's impossible to open the interior windows.
And why?
Because it would be too hot.
No, that's not the case.
Paris is not Kuala Lumpur.
I think you may have built too many airports in the south, my friend.
It will be 70 degrees between the two walls in summer, and that's a low estimate.
All the calculations we made from your drawings are formal.
Let's discuss the marble.
You insisted that it be on the agenda.
It is no longer on the agenda.
I'd really like you to come back.
I want you to come back and we'll take care of them.
I think they need to take care of themselves.
Do you want to go to Italy?
Yes, that's a good idea.
Are you sure?
Yes.
I will attend the rest of the meeting.
Okay.
Alexandra, can you make a place for the architect's wife?
...
Soft music...
...
It's not possible...
...
I'm looking for a marble that will turn a little red with the sun.
Yes.
The more the hydrite contains stone, the more it reacts to warm colors.
This is the case with Carrara marble.
I didn't know that.
Is it nitrate?
Yes.
What I want to cover is this facade, and the opposite side of the other side.
How high is it, from there to there?
From there to there, it's 111 meters high, like the Giza pyramid.
And I want to cover all the floors too.
That will be 1000 meters of frame, right?
1000 meters of frame, for each side, so 2000.
Plus the paving.
Plus the paving, it will be at least 3 parts.
So, we need between 3 and 4 hectares of marble.
That's it.
It's... it's not bad, I know.
That's about 5,000 tons of marble.
As a minimum.
Can you extract that?
Yes, of course.
We do it often.
But our cellar is very extensive.
Come, I'll show you.
because the marble of the Piet comes exactly from the quarry where we were this morning.
Michelangelo came in person and was exactly in the place where it stopped.
600 years ago, Michelangelo was right here.
The marble for his Piet statue comes from Carrara, specifically from Orquari.
From there?
Yes.
You might have met him.
Well, let's wish the same posterity for the cube as for the Piet.
You can recognize the shape of the Piet statue.
Michelangelo was not a great artist because everything was here.
He invented nothing.
Well, to Michelangelo.
Covered.
In the open.
Still at the abortion?
Are you going to work now?
No, I'm going to sleep and I'll look at it in the morning.
Would you like one last beer with me?
In honor of your marble.
That's very kind of you, but I need to rest.
Okay, good night.
Did you receive the pillar plans?
Yes.
Have you seen the time?
You can sign them and send them back to me by fax.
We need to start manufacturing tomorrow morning.
No, I'm not signing anything.
Why?
You had validated the sketches.
Because you changed the curve of the pillars.
The curve of a pillar?
You widened the base and that's not my design.
The pillars are buried, they will be underground.
No, I'm not changing the shape of the pillars.
I don't understand.
No one will see your pillars?
God will see them.
Listen, old man, sign the paper and let's get it over with because it makes no sense or else it's an aesthete's whim.
I won't sign, and today, I'm the one who says no.
When are you returning to Paris?
I don't know.
Finding beautiful marble is the most important thing.
Roto, jump on a plane and don't delay any longer.
Now, I'm going to sleep, and tomorrow, I'm driving back.
By car?
You'll take ages.
I don't like airports.
Work and stop harassing me with your pillars, please.
This one is very beautiful.
It has a sensuality that belongs only to Italy.
It's pink, isn't it?
No, it's white as snow, but in the evening light, it will be pink.
It's the nitrates.
It's very beautiful.
The veins are perfect.
It's the same marble as Michelangelo's Piet.
I had noticed it.
I mean, they come from the same quarry.
Of course, I suspected as much.
And the vessels are tight.
That's the beauty of this marble.
The other piece has fewer nitrates.
It comes from the briars in the flanks.
Let's take this one.
It is of great purity and it is exactly the pie we wanted.
From one quarry to another, the nuances are sometimes perceptible.
Very good.
It's the best choice, I think.
President Wende and his wife are waiting for you.
Thank you.
If you permit, Mr. President, I give you a gift.
It's hard to resist the charms of Italy.
Don't you think?
Well, now you're putting us in an impossible situation.
It's the President's choice.
And suddenly, these marbles are a marvel.
But it doesn't work like that.
Normally, in France, we have to issue calls for tenders for public contracts.
Your marble dealer, who charges three times more than his neighbors, I don't know what you told him or what happened there, but he smelled a good deal.
You have to ask the President.
Stop hiding behind the President.
It's too easy.
You are jeopardizing the balance of the entire project by acting this way.
Excuse me.
I can't work if you make so much noise, please.
Understood.
Sorry.
The architect chooses the material.
The discussion is closed.
No, I regret that the discussion is far from closed, Otto.
We will need three and a half hectares of marble.
Do you have any idea what that will represent for you?
Listen to me.
The cube is glass and marble.
You corrupted the glass.
Nobody touches my marble.
Nobody.
Okay?
We'll have to find a compromise.
And that's without mentioning the adhesion problems.
What adhesion problem?
Your marble is too slippery to lay it as is on the parterre.
You agree that users cannot slip and get injured?
This marble is excellent, and it's very easy to check.
Yes, well, that's enough, you have to stop watering.
It's becoming dangerous.
Do you know the Olympic stadiums in Rome?
No, I don't think so.
Go there, you'll see, all the paths are marble and no one slips there, even when it rains.
Perhaps they treated the marble to make it more abrasive.
No, no, that's not it.
This marble does not need treatment.
Perhaps Italian shoes are particularly effective.
Like yours.
Come on, who starts?
I'd like to go.
Wait.
What's wrong with my shoes?
I'm not criticizing them, Otto.
I'm just saying they might have extraordinary grip.
There you go.
Do you agree to lend me your shoes?
Give me your shoes and I'll show you that this marble isn't slippery.
Please.
Yes, but I doubt we're the same size.
But I can ask one of my collaborators.
Vanderberghe?
You're taller than me, aren't you?
Yes, it shows.
What's your shoe size?
Yes, well.
And you, Forestier?
It depends on the shoes.
Are there shoes you wear?
Take them off.
Are you sure?
Mr. President,
Mr. President, welcome.
Thank you.
Mr. President.
Support rods.
So, there are 12 in total, each elliptical in shape.
I designed the base so that the cube rests very naturally.
So, each elephant's foot can support up to three times the weight of the Eiffel Tower.
A little more.
30,000 tons per pile.
That was the load needed to support the megastructure of the arch.
We are here in the future underground area of the building.
These are the foundations.
I'm sorry, Mr. President, but it's legendary.
Mr. President?
Do you recognize our Carrara marble?
Exactly.
I asked for some plates to be laid here.
34,000 marble slabs of this nature will be needed to cover the non-glazed parts of the building and the entire pavilion.
At the first downpour, it will become an ice rink, Mr. President.
No, I don't think so.
We need to do the test.
Exactly.
We need to do the test.
Mr. President, don't you believe me that I should go before you for the first time?
This bar is admirable.
and its hue will bring new splendor to the site.
Paris has no marble.
We are going to correct a historical anomaly.
Excellent news, isn't it?
Yes, it's a very beautiful marble, but... And you, Andr, what do you think?
It's an excellent carard, but I still think it needs to be treated.
Otherwise, it will degrade very quickly.
No, I don't think so.
You know, the air is too easy to parry.
Air pollution will eventually affect the marble.
Technically, we won't have a choice.
We always have a choice.
That's the difference between you and me.
It's absolutely conclusive.
I agree.
But we have a question.
Do we need to treat the marble?
I don't think so.
It will solely be to ensure its longevity.
It's about closing the pores of the stone to protect it from external attacks.
Stone is stone.
If you change its nature, it will no longer, over time, have the evolution that is expected of it.
It is important to know that it is an art to withstand the affronts of time.
There are enough examples to consider that it has been demonstrated.
Thank you very much, Mr. President.
Mr. President.
Andr accepted your marble.
Sybillon pays for it.
That's the most important thing.
You might as well let them treat it if they want.
No.
The marble is perfect.
I don't accept that they touch it.
You have a lot of feelings for your marble.
No.
You are in love.
You are in love with your mother, and that's why you react.
Darling, I'm reacting.
But I'm not in love with my mother.
I'm in love with you.
Thank you, sir.
Enjoy your meal.
Thank you.
Thank you.
My wife doesn't like me eating pizza.
Coffee?
Yes, thank you.
Foundations are laid.
The main lines are validated.
I'm leaving for some time.
At your convenience.
We had conflicts between... But I trust you to build my cube.
Thank you for your trust.
...
...
It's a one-hundredth reduction.
That's very good.
Is this a working stage?
It's a first proposal.
May I draw on it?
If you wish.
The reduction respects the proportions of the cube.
Yes, I know.
Each line represents a floor.
The painting will be inside the cube.
No one will ever see my painting in its entirety.
No one.
But... floor by floor, they will discover the whole painting.
I had not imagined things this way at all.
I had first thought of an outdoor fresco.
Think of it like a musical sculptor.
Think of it like a musical score.
You hear the notes one by one and discover them progressively.
So the fresco will be a symphony of colors that will not be grasped all at once, but in successive touches, creating a perception, a sensation that evolves.
I can call it a symphony for a cube or a symphonic arch.
Excellent idea.
I will write a text in this vein to lay the theoretical foundations of this concept and we could co-sign it.
Isn't that fantastic?
Otto, I think we need to focus.
We need to focus and concentrate.
It sounds important.
Tell him I'm working on the cut and we need to... I don't want to be disturbed.
We have an appointment with Jupp now and he hinted that SICOM would be available.
Who is Jupp?
New Budget Minister.
And what does the president say?
He can't say anything anymore.
He's no longer president?
Yes, but he no longer decides anything.
He must now deal with a national assembly that has changed political color.
This is called cohabitation.
I don't understand.
Who summarizes it for him?
The president is left-wing, but now his entire government is right-wing.
But Sybillon, the cube is neither right nor left, the cube is for everyone.
Everyone.
The cube is expensive, and the right only talks about budget cuts and austerity.
And the bicentenary of the French Revolution and the future of humanity, is that our project?
Do we have a contract?
They can't stop the Zicom?
What are they going to do with our cube?
Stay seated, I have very little time.
The President's cube.
For the good of humanity, Mr. Minister.
If I believe the specialists, it's a very beautiful architectural project.
All my congratulations.
Thank you very much.
Mr. Minister, we heard that you were considering dissolving SICOM.
Yes, it will be published in the Official Journal very soon, won't it?
The decree was issued this morning, so it will be published within the week.
If SICOM is dissolved, to what project does the new government now destine this building?
It's up to you to decide.
To you or to those who will buy it back?
Listen, the fact is simple.
You dug, well, I mean the previous socialist government, dug an abyssal chasm in record time.
We inherited a critical situation and must urgently save 400 million francs.
The State cannot afford to support all ambitious projects.
Who will incur the next construction expenses?
We have contracts that have been signed.
More than 150 workers, specialized technicians, daily on site.
I don't know.
But the State is disengaging.
It is up to you to find the synergies.
Our will, from now on, is to encourage private initiative.
And your building has enough assets to attract investors.
And that is your mission, from now on.
Create the right financial arrangements.
Someone like Leloup could make an excellent buyer.
Leloup?
Him or someone else.
I'm just saying Leloup seemed interested in the roof of your building.
For that, it would have to be opened, which shouldn't be too complicated.
Wait.
You want to open the roof?
I don't want anything.
Except to stop paying for the work.
Mr. Minister, if we sell the roof to a private company, they will want to put their name there in huge letters.
That means every time we go under the Arc de Triomphe, to lay a wreath for the unknown soldiers, we'll read Lida or Pernod Ricard in illuminated letters.
Is that what you want?
Forgive me, I'm not sure I understand your objection.
What do you have against private enterprise?
No one can talk about the cube like that.
I fully agree.
You can talk about the cube like walking on the carpet.
That's true, but he's the Minister of Budget.
But...
I don't talk to ministers.
Minister comes from the word minus.
A minister is a servant, and I do not serve the servant.
Perhaps so.
But if we don't listen to them, they will simply stop the construction.
No.
I do not agree with that.
No one can stop the President's construction.
No one.
Otto, please.
Your turn.
Mr. Sprickhalsen, the President will not be back tonight.
I need to speak with Mr. President.
It's an emergency.
But the President is not here.
But I can wait for him.
He won't come.
You must leave the premises.
Where is he?
In Venezuela.
It's useless to wait for him.
I don't believe you.
Sir.
Sir.
Sir, we are closing the premises to visitors.
I am not a visitor.
I am an architect.
Can I call him?
What time is it there?
The President is not reachable.
I'm sorry.
What do I do?
Do you want me to call you a car?
There's a taxi stand on Rue Saint-Honor.
What do I do to take care of myself?
What would you do in my place?
I thought you had given up.
We are waiting for us to throw in the towel and they entrust us with the viability of the project knowing that the mission is impossible.
You can't go from a public building to a profitable real estate operation without adjustment.
But if we adjust intelligently, then we can catch them in their own trap.
What trap?
I went to see the president and they told me he wasn't there.
Do you think that's a trap too?
No.
Jupp prevents us from selling.
But even if we sold all the spaces, we would be far from the 3.5 million dollars needed.
And he knows it.
That's why Subilon is so desperate.
And he was quick to get things done.
Andr... I believe it was never designed to make money.
That was never the idea.
But it can generate more easily.
That means producing more office space.
But what office space?
Only SICOM is supposed to have its offices there.
There is no more SICOM.
But if we add 15 floors to the cube, the new space we've created will allow us to finance the operation.
You want to change the shape of the cube?
Paradoxically, it is by enlarging it that we will succeed in building your cube.
But no, that's impossible.
We cannot alter the geometry of the cube.
That would challenge the entire urban harmony of the project.
Do you consider these dimensions to be definitive?
But naturally, what kind of question is that?
The cube is a cube, Andr.
If you change it, it's no longer a cube.
So, if we don't touch the main cube, we must obtain it in place of the small cubes around it on the esplanade and replace them with taller, denser buildings.
You want to remove the small cube?
To save the main cube, yes.
Without hesitation.
By building four complexes that you would design,
We finance the grand cube, the esplanade, the gardens, and the clouds.
We thus save the essential.
But the President delights in the project with the small cube.
The President is unfortunately no longer in control.
With this new government, if we don't produce marketable square meters, the cube is in danger.
You are entering the urgent.
I'm playing them at their own game.
They invoke the principle of reality.
They are right.
Construction is about pragmatism.
So, let's adapt.
If we don't, the arch is dead.
You're destroying the project to make it your own.
You're selling my cube.
No, I'm trying to save it.
No, you're not.
You're trying to destroy it, in every necessary way.
A project is never static, and you know that.
It evolves.
We must keep going.
This game of twice your time is vile.
You are a cheat.
You're taking my cube, but this cube is my idea.
The cube is the work of my life!
Liv?
Liv?
I think we need to go the other way.
We'll say goodbye for tomorrow.
No, no.
We cannot see him.
Tomorrow, you'll look for them.
We must mark ourselves, otherwise they will eat us.
They are cannibals and barbarians.
I understand, but it's complicated, Alexander, against a government.
The best we can do is sleep on it.
We have the law on our side, because we have all the drawings.
All the competition boards are publicly made, so they cannot be denounced.
So the cuts, and the small cuts, and the layers, they must be built.
They must be built as agreed.
This is the prohibition of my work.
This is the prohibition of my integrity, of my artistic integrity.
And that's me.
Andr?
I'm looking for Andr.
The architect?
No, the project manager of the constructions.
He's on the walkway.
Who is he?
It's not my moment.
See that with Subilu.
I made technical validations.
The rest is not my part.
You didn't tell me anything.
Why?
I don't know, probably because you weren't there.
We make budget arbitrations every day on a construction site.
It's not my marvel.
Listen, my God, we have deadlines to meet.
I told you yesterday, the urgency is to move forward.
To move forward, we need to... Stop!
We are working!
You were saying... Martine, here he is.
You call him, you organize this meeting and everyone should be there.
Why didn't you say something about Marmor?
What?
What are you talking about?
You thought it was better to explain myself?
I don't understand what you're imagining.
I don't know what you're talking about.
They changed Marmor.
It's too stupid.
I didn't know that.
Where does it come from?
I told you to keep an eye on her.
They gather behind my back and you must keep them in mind.
You don't do anything.
That's not true.
It was your role.
It was you who had to do it.
What was I to do if I can no longer trust you?
You must not shout at me, Otto.
You must not talk to me like that, Otto.
Not to me.
You just need to calm down.
What was I to do if I can no longer trust you?
Of course you can trust me, Otto.
You have no right to say that.
You have no right to be known.
Did you say anything?
No.
No, you can see it.
You can see it.
You're not on my side anymore.
And when you're not on my side anymore, there's no one else.
I am all alone.
There's no one.
So I am surrounded by idiots, gangsters, and perverts.
What's happening?
You see, I'm leaving.
Sorry.
I would like you to excuse me.
Yes.
But that's not how you talk to me.
It's not going to happen again.
No, Otto, it's not going to happen again.
But it destroys me when I'm called names.
It destroys me.
Do you understand?
Yes, I understand.
No, wait.
You excuse me and I hear you.
But I'm still destroying myself, right?
Wait a moment.
It was I who refused to validate the order for your Carrara due to its price.
Moreover, Andr did not wish to change marble, but he guided us when I informed him that the Carrara you had chosen would be abandoned.
I didn't do it willingly.
I did it mainly in the interest of the general economy of the cube.
When I see how things are turning out today, it confirms my belief that there was no other possible solution.
Our relations have experienced ups and downs, that's undeniable.
We will find a more virtuous operating mode.
You do what you want.
It's no longer my business.
Mr. President, I have come to present my resignation.
But that's impossible.
Why?
You both have your ideas.
And now, you are free.
But you are the architect.
And then, we have a contract.
You don't respect contracts.
It means nothing anymore.
Otto, we need you.
No, that's false.
The small cubes are gone.
The clouds are gone.
Glued glass is forbidden in France and now you've changed the good marble that the president chose for an ugly marble.
The cube was supposed to be white and smooth and now it's grey and sad.
It's no longer my cube and I won't be able to look at it.
May I speak with the architect alone?
Mr. Architect, do you confirm that your decision is irrevocable.
Yes, Mr. President.
I was very proud to be invited by France.
You knew your ambition to exchange life.
But lately, I have felt very alone.
I have encountered too many jokes.
I appreciate your honesty.
Don't surprise me, your cube is a straightforward work, and you designed it in your own image.
But it's not just that.
This cube takes up too much space.
It took me away from my own life.
I want to find my wife again.
I forgot the most important things.
What does she like?
Which book?
Which music?
I don't know how she sleeps.
How is her skin?
I want to find that again.
I want to go to the opera with her.
I want to go fishing with both of them.
I don't want the cube.
Everywhere.
Between her and me.
You are probably making the right choice.
Obviously, I fully respect your decision.
I will give instructions for this separation to be handled elegantly and for your emoluments to therefore remain unchanged.
Thank you for everything, Mr. President.
That's perfectly normal, given the quality of the exchanges I had the honor of sharing with you.
In return, and given the political context that weakens the project, let's agree not to communicate this resignation to the press or the profession, the contract stipulates it.
Let's maintain a certain confidentiality so as not to harm the image of the cube, nor yours, naturally.
Naturally.
I don't agree with your decision.
It's not the first time.
When I built Roissy, I was 29 years old.
More than once, I wondered if I wasn't an impostor.
All throughout the construction, I kept thinking, what am I doing here?
Very often, I even felt dizzy.
But I held on.
Because afterwards, it was too easy to give up.
You are mistaken.
You have to believe in these ideas to do that.
But here, you are not defending your ideas.
You are giving them up.
You are putting your ego before your work.
If it were a matter of ego, I wouldn't have stopped.
This commission is too prestigious, you know that.
Know in any case that your radicalism impresses me.
It is a source of inspiration for me.
It's good if you learned something from me.
Better late than never.
You know, Andr is right.
Not only are you abandoning your project, but you are abandoning everyone who created your cube.
Everyone who believed in you.
In our respective roles, we did our utmost to ensure the cube could see the light of day.
I am part of that.
I put all my time, all my energy, all my faith.
Remember that a project is only one idea, but it must be a strong idea.
Here, the stones move in two places, here and there.
They do so to make way for a very, very beautiful staircase corridor.
It's magnificent.
It's really good.
You did not understand the object.
You built to the wrong scale and did not respect the specifications regarding material choice.
You are therefore completely ready to work in France.
I gave a very good character, despite everything, because I feel great passion in the project and I think that's the most important thing.
I would like to congratulate all your projects because there is a great identity in all the projects.
It's very important.
The next step will be to respect the client's needs.
Excuse me, can we talk together?
Yes.
I know you don't want to talk about Paris, but we have to consider the protests against the black blocks.
What black blocks?
Those who want to put the rises instead of your white corridors.
When I saw that they wanted to make them black, I was really surprised.
Don't think about that.
I signed a document that supports the Ophre association.
It's been a long time.
It's no longer my project.
But they are taking care of your original idea.
The blocks are against your cut.
I'm no longer in it, Miko.
I left it behind me.
Soft music
Sir, we are looking for Johann Otto von Sprechelsen.
His tomb should be in the back east of the cemetery.
Where is it?
I think it's this way.
We went there, but we couldn't find him.
Maybe the Natives' Quarter.
Quarter?
The Natives' Quarter.
Thank you.
Who was he?
So, what do you think?
It's very beautiful.
I'm glad you like the project.
Is the building not too high?
Not at all, Mr. President.
Congratulations, the choice is very audacious.
Who is the architect, Mr. President?
You ask Subilon to find out.
No, Mr. President, it is your honor to announce the name of the winner.
The glasses.
Yes.
In any case, I want to congratulate the jury members for their proposal.
Here you go, Mr. President.
Johann Otto von Spreckelsen.
Mr. Milon, can you tell us more about our laureate?
So, his name is Johann Otto von Sprechelsen.
He was born in Denmark in 1929.
He submitted his project in his own name and not with an agency.
And that's all I have here.
Call the laureate so I can congratulate him.
I only had a postal address.
Call the Danish embassy.
It's a small country, they'll be able to help you.
The Danish embassy... Ah!
Hello.
The Presidency of the Republic is trying to reach one of your compatriots, who has been appointed to design the future CICOM, International Center for Communication and Defense.
It's the architect Johann Otto von Spreckelsen.
Von, yes, Spreckelsen.
Good.
Alright.
Thank you.
Unbelievable, nobody knows this guy.
Sir!
Are you Johan Otto-Van Strakelsen?
You won the
So, the President of the Republic would like to meet you.
We should quickly consider the follow-up to this excellent news.
Good night.
Mr. Sprague-Lewson speaks French, so... You can question him.
Madam?
Very simple question.
Who are you?
Hello.
My name is Otto von Sprague-Lewson.
I am Danish and 53 years old.
In Copenhagen, I teach architecture.
Architecture, I am not young.
It interests me.
It's very inspiring to participate in a competition for a project located in Paris.
Excuse me, can you tell us about the genesis of this idea?
Yes.
It's because the idea was very obvious.
I presented my project.
Paris has great monuments.
like the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the Pompidou Center.
These monuments don't resemble Paris, but they symbolize this city.
I wanted to find a new form for Paris, and Paris doesn't have a cube.
Can we know a little more about the purpose of this international communication center?
For now, it remains quite vague.
It will be a meeting place.
A meeting place for whom?
For humanity.
Sir, you told us you were 53, a respectable age, you're the same.
More seriously, let's agree that it's an uncommon age to step into the limelight, isn't it?
Age is just a number.
What have you built in your career?
I built my house and four churches.
Do you think they pay for everything?
Of course.
What about the grandchildren?
Yes, otherwise, they pay themselves.
It's not a problem.
Hello.
Hello, Mr. Svrigelsen.
I have an outside call for you.
Who is it?
I'll put you through.
Hello, Mr. Shprekelsen.
Hello.
The President would like to validate an aspect of your project with you.
What aspect?
The President called me this morning to remind me how attached he was to the perspective drawn by ours.
You know, this path that starts from the Louvre Palace and opens to the West, passing through the Arc de Triomphe, means a lot to the President.
It is, after all, the historic royal axis.
And you know that you are situating your cube on this historic royal axis.
But of course, that was the competition site.
The President does not want this perspective to be damaged.
No, no, no.
It will not be damaged.
You can reassure her.
That is to say, the President would like to be able to represent things more fully.
Can you be clearer?
The President saw the model, didn't he?
Precisely, the President wants something else.
Something other than the model.
Yes.
Very good.
I'll take care of it.
Thank you, Mr. Schmeichelson.
You who come from the North, what is your view on our Catholic cathedrals and their often demonstrative splendor?
I'm sorry, Mr. President, but my expectations are too high.
You did well to choose my cube rather than a cathedral.
It was a question without ulterior motive.
It still happens to me to ask a few.
When I am on friendly ground, probably.
I heard you built several chapels.
Yes, I built two Catholic chapels and two Protestant churches.
Where does this appetite for places of worship come from?
I have a religious education.
Me too, but I haven't built four churches.
Until my marriage, I sang in a choir.
I was often in the churches of Shemsa.
Please forgive me.
It seems everything is ready, Mr. President.
Very good.
Tell them we're coming.
Good.
Mr. President.
Ah!
Do you have a pair of binoculars?
Of course.
Here.
I'll take the binoculars.
Of course.
Let's go straight this way.
It will be more pleasant to walk.
You understand, I am solely accountable for the perspective before the nation.
I must take all the precautions my responsibility requires.
But the cube is not high.
It will respect the great balances.
You will see, the simulation, everything is very clear.
Here is the cube, Mr. President.
What you see is the upper part of the building.
I remind you that the cube will be open.
That's very good.
And the perspective is respected.
It's really very good, but it's blue.
Yes, it's blue.
I would have preferred it to be pink.
Ah, when the sun sets, it will be pink.
Can I see?
Yes, of course.
This evening, if you like.
I see there's a stir.
See you tonight, Mr. Architect.
Calm down.
You can't go out like that.
No one knows I'm here.
It's the safest place for me.
We can't start over like that.
But we did it this morning, we can do it tonight, right?
But we already had all the difficulties in the world just to get this street.
We'll find another one.
No, there's no model that big in France.
Besides, it's a German street.
Ciboulon, the president wants to see.
And meanwhile, SICOM is paying.
SICOM is created by the president, he is the client.
We have to do what the client wants, right?
Mr. Tavelli, the crane operator.
Yes, Mr. Tavelli, come in, please.
I'm delighted to see you.
Precisely, we were wondering if it would be possible to repeat this wonderful experience tonight.
When the sun sets, please.
It's complicated now.
I have my niece's wedding and I have to take the crane back to Marseille.
I am well aware, but we absolutely must redo the test.
I propose to extend your emoluments by 7500 francs.
I'm willing to do you this favor, but the price is 50,000.
50,000?
Starting tonight, we switch to weekend hours.
Are you talking about compensation for workers who have already made commitments, and as I told you, it's my niece's wedding.
You prefer to go.
There, okay.
We didn't discuss it either.
It's settled.
Your rate will be mine.
Thank you, Mr. Tadeli, for your availability.
Goodbye, ladies and gentlemen.
Very good.
It's pink.
You said it.
That's good.
It's absolutely pink.
It's very, very good.
I have decided to inaugurate your cube for the festivities of the Bicentenary of the Revolution.
In the name of the French people, I congratulate you.
Thank you again, Mr. Architect.
It's an honor, Mr. President.
Come visit me whenever you want to give me news of the construction site.
Certainly, Mr. President.
Goodbye.
At the end of extending this mega-slab, and above all, above all, that there is a crane test, the Prefect asks me what we are doing.
Yes, we are finished.
Wonderful.
We're done.
Attention!
Excuse me!
It's very impressive.
We are building a new world, my dear friend.
We must know how to celebrate it.
To you, the honors.
No, no, I can't.
I'm too superstitious.
I can't.
I'm sorry.
Very good.
I'm sorry.
Come on, who will have the responsibility to cut this masterpiece?
So, sir, at your niece's wedding.
There's no more wedding than butter on a butt.
What do you mean?
Actually, I don't have a niece.
It was to drive up the bidding.
You can't teach an old dog new tricks.
This time, it's on, right?
Have you had a chance to think about your design team?
Not yet, not yet.
President, we need to be ready for the Bicentenary of the Revolution.
That forces us to go very fast.
I've prepared a first list.
There you go.
These are the trusted companies.
Is that good?
Knock knock.
This car is very beautiful.
Yes, it's very beautiful, but we'll be too late.
We are here in the first district of Tours built in Paris, on the banks of the Seine.
There were urban constraints, technical ones too, and particularly the whole problem of networks.
Saint-Germain is the design company that built the entire slab.
That's correct.
We also built several towers.
The most recent one is this one.
The construction started at the end of 1981, so we went very fast.
And that's the one we're going to visit.
With pleasure.
Roto?
Roto, are you not feeling well?
Did they make the jump?
Well, it's them, they made the whole slab.
And that... How do you say that?
A snail.
A snail?
No, no, no.
That, that.
The joints.
The joints?
The joints, are they?
We can ask them to check, but yes, it must be them.
But aren't the joints irregular?
Yes, well, if that's the case, don't forget that detail.
Subilant.
It's not a detail.
Look.
Look.
That.
There's grass between the joints and here.
Nothing.
The rhythms are not respected and that is very important.
At all.
Very important.
All we need are the joints of the valley.
Come visit the building.
Meet Mr. St-Germain.
He's a construction enthusiast.
Moreover, your cube is already captivating.
He will be at your beck and call, it's his job.
No.
I can't.
You can't do what?
I can't see anything else.
I'm talking to you, but I only see the sample.
He's waiting for us, your neighbor.
It's possible to be rescheduled this afternoon.
Is it inconvenient?
Listen to me closely.
It's very important.
It's the patient's foundation.
The foundation.
Very important.
Say I fainted.
Say what you want.
I think there's a mistake here.
It says 25 instead of 2.5.
It's not a mistake.
I had about 25 million.
In fees?
They won't believe it's enough if they don't have an office.
Everyone can have an office.
No.
You have a vision.
I think they understood it was a provocation.
I think.
There will be discussions, that's for sure.
You know them, they like to discuss.
But we also have something to give, and that's why I propose to start with the companies from the top.
25 million francs, that's the joy of having clear water.
Listen to me carefully.
The mud is estimated at 1.3 billion francs.
We are asking for less than 10%.
So that's enough.
Look.
You shouldn't give up your rights.
What do you mean?
The right to shelter.
If someone takes a picture of the Cup, you should deal with it.
The Cup will be part of the urban space.
Yes, but it's not an original work at all.
With the right to shelter.
I don't see why it would be different for you than for a sculptor or an artist.
Is that legitimate?
No, it's a legal zone.
Listen, you designed the cup, you created it.
It's your work.
I don't see why you should be the administrator.
I don't think anyone has ever done it before.
Never.
But there's no one who has never won a competition like that.
Listen, builder, how far along are you?
What did you think of Bergeron?
You saw him this morning, didn't you?
My marine is not convinced.
He only talks about concrete techniques.
Yes, but don't lose sight of the fact that he executes orders.
The cubes require a very fine approach and I don't see that in his work.
Oh really?
We'll still have to agree on a French builder who will find favor in your eyes.
And who votes?
There, however, I fear it will be impossible.
Impossible.
Again, it's a relationship to build with a partner.
That's good.
Our project must be very precise.
It's like a fugue, but broader.
Monumental.
Yes, I understand the analogy, but... No, no, no, wait.
A fugue is a subject, a response and the repetition of the same motif.
That's exactly what we propose with the cube.
We have the large cube and the small cube.
Subject and response.
Full and empty.
And you are meeting GSC this afternoon.
GSC is a very good design office.
I want to go to Denmark to meet some builders.
There are very competent people there.
Forgive me, but we have to find someone here.
The tender regulations clearly stipulated that the winning architect undertook to work with a French company.
Did you receive our contract proposal?
For now, my husband is working, they are delighted, but there is no real framework.
Ultimately, this may be uncomfortable for you and for us.
Louise?
Yes?
Where are we with Mr. Shprekelsen's contract?
It's there, it's ready for signature.
Good, bring it to me then, so we can move forward.
The President of the Republic has given us a direction.
He wants us to inaugurate the SICOM.
Thank you, Louise.
At the same time as the bicentenary.
Which forces us to go fast.
So let's go fast and do well.
In general, when I lose a competition, I'm a bad loser, because I continue to think that my proposal was the best.
In the case of defense, I am inclined when I discovered your drawing.
You got everyone to agree.
I am very happy to meet the man who got a whole profession to agree.
That's very kind.
Thank you.
I would like to see your glass tubes, please.
Of course.
I just wanted to show you this point of view that I really like.
and which helps to understand the logic of this airport, which offers an innovative layout.
You see that we are both militant geometers, you designed a cube, and I, for my part, thought of Roissy as a circle.
Yes, it's very beautiful.
And I understand the principle of the circle.
But for my work, I would like to see your tubes below.
Here is a specimen of tube, right here.
Some compare the terminal to a bicycle cup.
Concrete is a magnificent material, but it is rough, massive, and these glass tubes bring lightness.
But it's not just glass.
That's true.
There is also aluminum for the structure.
But I want to make a structure that is only glass.
Only.
So, explain to me the exact object of your research.
So... You know the main cube, like that.
There's also the small cube right next to it, like that.
I want clouds to connect the elements.
And these are these clouds that you would like to make of glass?
I want to make them of crystal.
Crystal.
I want them to float.
Then in that case, it could also be fiberglass or canvas.
That's the other possibility.
And how would you fix them, on a pylon?
No, no.
I want the cloud to float.
Well, in that case, you have to hang them.
And I want two types of clouds to create variation.
Like that.
Yes, I understand.
Anyway, you need an attachment point.
May I?
So, maybe it could be at the top.
You need a design and engineering firm, and I have the teams to deal with the technical complexity of the operation.
I can't stand the conclusion that no French builder is up to your arch.
I am French.
I have the pretension to be able to implement its realization.
But you have many projects, why do you want to build the cubes?
If I propose this collaboration, it's primarily because I think, like you, that the arch is the adequate answer.
It's hot?
That's already a lot.
I'm used to big construction sites, but it's not often that I encounter such a powerful project.
Paris.
After you.
It's very beautiful.
All the proportions are right.
Thank you.
I designed everything.
I followed the manufacturing of each accessory, the organ, the beams, the handles, the altar,
I created everything.
In the same way, I designed the cube and I want to be its project manager until the end.
But... But I suppose you... You don't want to be a simple builder.
I am an architect.
I have nevertheless built several international airports.
Exactly.
What statue do you want for the cube?
To be honest, I was considering a shared project management, one project, two architects.
Forgive me, but despite all my respect for you and your work, this configuration will not be in accordance with my approval.
The cube is the work of my life.
It's Mary's work.
All my work, all my research, all my life, led me to this design.
So I say without pretension, if you and I want to collaborate on the cube, there must be a hierarchy between us.
I understand.
...
...
The arch is an important work.
I propose to be your project manager for the realization.
That is to say?
There will indeed be two architects, but I will be your executor.
You design.
I work at your service for the operational realization of the arch.
I noticed you say "arch" and not "cube".
Yes, it's because your cube is open, but... I can certainly say "cube," if you prefer.
It emanates from me.
That I say "arch"?
Yes.
And that you are my project manager for the realizations.
I would need to see your plans.
Here.
It's very beautiful, but you don't have anything else?
There's that too.
I need the floor plans.
Since the competition, you haven't drawn any plans?
I designed the balance between the large cubes and the small cubes.
As you know, I think a lot about clouds.
I'm still looking for their shape.
I also have this drawing that I really like.
Here, the clouds are lower, but we need to do on-site tests, I think.
I suggest we start with the general form.
The plan, the foundations, before considering the rest of the program.
And when the time comes, we can do computer simulations, especially for the clouds.
Very good, as you wish, but Andr, I only work by hand.
I hate... Computers.
Computers.
I'm afraid they will shape thought, and so will construction.
No, but the gesture is yours.
Really, the machines will only serve to implement what you have determined, rest assured.
Very good, but... I prefer working without computers.
Silo.
The specificity of your cube is to be both a building with exhibition halls, offices, and a work of art.
And it is a bridge that must span all these networks.
However, if all bridges move, the offices must be stable.
That is the technical challenge of the cube.
And to meet it, we will have to do many calculations in a very short time, because our deadlines are tight.
Without IT, it's unfeasible.
We must embrace modernity, use all resources to calculate the forces at play as precisely as possible.
So, I will compile your sketches, and we will convert them into plans.
Please.
My wife needs to fix something on the model.
Don't worry, I only work on the models.
It's essential for the glass facade to be absolutely simple.
I understand, but for the arch, we never have a perfect straw.
Oh, you have to try it.
There will always be spaces.
It's inevitable.
In the church I built in Staunton, the altar is monumental.
And I created a 4-square-meter panel, with 4 different samples for each facade.
Your monumental altar measures 4 square meters?
For each facade, yes.
This marriage between the matte and the brilliant is very beautiful.
We are still looking for a solution for the glass.
Ideally, one piece.
Mr. Billon informed me that you are working with Andr.
Yes, but he only deals with the construction.
We created the title of project manager for realization.
Yes, why not.
And what do you think of French architects?
I'm not talking about Andr, but in general.
Your outside perspective interests me.
He works quite well, but... I find him sometimes... inhibited.
That's absolutely right.
Moreover, I observe that he only manages to build outside of France.
This situation will also have to change.
Please.
This is the perspective of the people who are suffering.
You have to get down to street level.
Yes, that's it, but a little lower.
Do you see the perspective better now?
That's very good.
But you know, for your glass facades, I know who you should contact.
An architect?
Yes, but he is not French.
You should meet Pei.
He built a glass tower in Boston.
I saw it, not a single pane out of place.
It's striking.
We can definitely arrange a meeting?
Of course.
You should have already done it.
I saw him yesterday, he's still in Paris today.
Take advantage of it.
It's possible.
Of course it's possible.
I've done a lot of tests before, there's only one solution, which is to glue steel with silicone glue.
There are no visible attachments or joints.
Yes, that's exactly what I want.
But you know, my builder told me it couldn't be done.
Who is your builder?
Paul Andr, and I really appreciate him, but I feel like he's focused on the technical aspect.
We know each other very well.
Tell him to call me.
I would be very happy to invite you to Boston to see the tower.
It's going to be difficult now.
Why is it so difficult?
Because Supilong is very enthusiastic to start building right now.
So the cube will be there for hundreds and hundreds of years, but it's very important that we start right away.
You know what?
In Chinese, they say... And what does that mean?
If it's urgent, take your time.
That's very good.
So, what do you think of my pyramid?
I think it will be absolutely incredible.
We are very familiar with this glued glass technique.
I don't understand.
You didn't tell me anything.
Why?
It is indeed a very conclusive technique.
But you won't be able to use it for the cube.
Why?
This technique is perfect for the cube.
Glued glass is not approved.
But the Americans have been using silicone glue for ten years.
Paye showed me photographs of the statues in Boston.
Yes, but this technique is not authorized in France.
The CEP invalidated it.
The what?
The CEP, the Center for Study and Prevention.
Moreover, its opinion has just been confirmed by the conclusion of the CSTB, Scientific and Technical Center for Building.
The President told me to talk to Pei.
Yes, but if Pei then recommends a technique forbidden by national regulations, the problem remains the same.
But is it possible to request a modification to this law?
No.
Security communities are independent.
How do you create a smooth facade?
How do you respect the client?
The client will never blame you for respecting the legislation.
And you?
What do you say?
There's nothing to say.
I told you it was impossible to have a perfectly smooth facade.
We will do our utmost to get close to it, but we cannot override the security commission.
Service is finished, sir.
I have an appointment with Mr. Leloup?
Yes, he's waiting for you at the back.
Thank you very much.
I am lucky to have an outside perspective, while knowing the neighborhood very well.
I know you're running into a number of problems.
I know there are no details.
Especially in a project as radical as yours.
So I prefer to tell you directly.
As things are going, in two years, you'll still be in foundations.
I know this villain by heart.
He's a technocrat.
I don't know.
It's not a matter of personal real estate.
It's an observation that is chilling and a symptom of a typically French ailment.
It's very paradoxical.
He wants to go fast, but he's causing the blockage.
Because he is out of touch with reality.
His logic is bureaucratic.
And he doesn't know much about construction.
It wouldn't be a problem if he didn't pretend to be in project management.
Rendre them, on the other hand, is not a bad choice.
But to meet your deadlines, your project management lacks know-how.
It lacks perseverance.
Mr. Leloup... Leloup.
Mr. Leloup... You asked to meet me.
And you talked about solutions.
And I'd like to know more.
I want to sit here and talk about problems I already know.
Do you have problems with glued glass?
Yes, I have problems.
News travels fast here.
Today, it's glass.
Tomorrow, it's something else.
The lift, security access.
Not to mention Marlowe.
Marble is far too important, and I have already identified some varieties in Tuscany, so... It's not important.
If you keep the current configuration, you will be stuck in a power balance that will always be unfavorable to you, no matter the subject.
So, what do you advise?
With Subilon, you're not going anywhere.
But am I really an amateur?
Of course you are.
You can make a case for incompatibility of character, and I'll take care of the rest.
I have economic arguments to make, and I also have my own network of support among election officers.
I built all the towers of La Dfense.
I want to make this area the largest business district in Europe, bigger than the City of London.
And your cube will be the cornerstone of this district.
It's a manifesto.
Today, if you entrust me with the project, I will be the investor who will help you build your cube, exactly as you designed it.
Subilan is the man of the houses.
I'm not going to argue with you.
He's his valet.
Mitterrand is my client, and I always respect my client.
And this assessment has Mitterrand's trust.
So, he has my trust.
Allow me to finish, I haven't completed my proposal.
I understood your proposal.
You want to take power, but your little strategies and calculations don't interest me.
I am an architect.
Good evening.
We have developed a system of closed panels for the passages.
Sorts of very discreet clamps that will hold the glass.
It will work regardless of the supported material.
And for the interior, we have received the first templates that we can test on the frames to check everything.
When can we do these tests?
Very soon, but we'll have to think about access for maintenance.
If there will be no open frames?
I want the anterior window to be able to open.
I don't understand.
The anterior windows must open for ventilation.
Ventilation?
Yes.
Ventilation.
Like Le Corbusier.
Have you heard of this guy?
I suppose you've heard of him.
It was indeed you who designed the two leaves, the outer facade and the inner panes, to be glued to the concrete structure.
Yes.
Indeed.
That's what I want.
Can we have a little silence?
We're in a meeting.
Thank you.
It was you who demanded a gap of 90 centimeters between the two walls.
Exactly.
To create a space for breathing and openness in the closed offices.
But it's impossible to open the interior windows.
And why?
Because it would be too hot.
No, that's not the case.
Paris is not Kuala Lumpur.
I think you may have built too many airports in the south, my friend.
It will be 70 degrees between the two walls in summer, and that's a low estimate.
All the calculations we made from your drawings are formal.
Let's discuss the marble.
You insisted that it be on the agenda.
It is no longer on the agenda.
I'd really like you to come back.
I want you to come back and we'll take care of them.
I think they need to take care of themselves.
Do you want to go to Italy?
Yes, that's a good idea.
Are you sure?
Yes.
I will attend the rest of the meeting.
Okay.
Alexandra, can you make a place for the architect's wife?
...
Soft music...
...
It's not possible...
...
I'm looking for a marble that will turn a little red with the sun.
Yes.
The more the hydrite contains stone, the more it reacts to warm colors.
This is the case with Carrara marble.
I didn't know that.
Is it nitrate?
Yes.
What I want to cover is this facade, and the opposite side of the other side.
How high is it, from there to there?
From there to there, it's 111 meters high, like the Giza pyramid.
And I want to cover all the floors too.
That will be 1000 meters of frame, right?
1000 meters of frame, for each side, so 2000.
Plus the paving.
Plus the paving, it will be at least 3 parts.
So, we need between 3 and 4 hectares of marble.
That's it.
It's... it's not bad, I know.
That's about 5,000 tons of marble.
As a minimum.
Can you extract that?
Yes, of course.
We do it often.
But our cellar is very extensive.
Come, I'll show you.
because the marble of the Piet comes exactly from the quarry where we were this morning.
Michelangelo came in person and was exactly in the place where it stopped.
600 years ago, Michelangelo was right here.
The marble for his Piet statue comes from Carrara, specifically from Orquari.
From there?
Yes.
You might have met him.
Well, let's wish the same posterity for the cube as for the Piet.
You can recognize the shape of the Piet statue.
Michelangelo was not a great artist because everything was here.
He invented nothing.
Well, to Michelangelo.
Covered.
In the open.
Still at the abortion?
Are you going to work now?
No, I'm going to sleep and I'll look at it in the morning.
Would you like one last beer with me?
In honor of your marble.
That's very kind of you, but I need to rest.
Okay, good night.
Did you receive the pillar plans?
Yes.
Have you seen the time?
You can sign them and send them back to me by fax.
We need to start manufacturing tomorrow morning.
No, I'm not signing anything.
Why?
You had validated the sketches.
Because you changed the curve of the pillars.
The curve of a pillar?
You widened the base and that's not my design.
The pillars are buried, they will be underground.
No, I'm not changing the shape of the pillars.
I don't understand.
No one will see your pillars?
God will see them.
Listen, old man, sign the paper and let's get it over with because it makes no sense or else it's an aesthete's whim.
I won't sign, and today, I'm the one who says no.
When are you returning to Paris?
I don't know.
Finding beautiful marble is the most important thing.
Roto, jump on a plane and don't delay any longer.
Now, I'm going to sleep, and tomorrow, I'm driving back.
By car?
You'll take ages.
I don't like airports.
Work and stop harassing me with your pillars, please.
This one is very beautiful.
It has a sensuality that belongs only to Italy.
It's pink, isn't it?
No, it's white as snow, but in the evening light, it will be pink.
It's the nitrates.
It's very beautiful.
The veins are perfect.
It's the same marble as Michelangelo's Piet.
I had noticed it.
I mean, they come from the same quarry.
Of course, I suspected as much.
And the vessels are tight.
That's the beauty of this marble.
The other piece has fewer nitrates.
It comes from the briars in the flanks.
Let's take this one.
It is of great purity and it is exactly the pie we wanted.
From one quarry to another, the nuances are sometimes perceptible.
Very good.
It's the best choice, I think.
President Wende and his wife are waiting for you.
Thank you.
If you permit, Mr. President, I give you a gift.
It's hard to resist the charms of Italy.
Don't you think?
Well, now you're putting us in an impossible situation.
It's the President's choice.
And suddenly, these marbles are a marvel.
But it doesn't work like that.
Normally, in France, we have to issue calls for tenders for public contracts.
Your marble dealer, who charges three times more than his neighbors, I don't know what you told him or what happened there, but he smelled a good deal.
You have to ask the President.
Stop hiding behind the President.
It's too easy.
You are jeopardizing the balance of the entire project by acting this way.
Excuse me.
I can't work if you make so much noise, please.
Understood.
Sorry.
The architect chooses the material.
The discussion is closed.
No, I regret that the discussion is far from closed, Otto.
We will need three and a half hectares of marble.
Do you have any idea what that will represent for you?
Listen to me.
The cube is glass and marble.
You corrupted the glass.
Nobody touches my marble.
Nobody.
Okay?
We'll have to find a compromise.
And that's without mentioning the adhesion problems.
What adhesion problem?
Your marble is too slippery to lay it as is on the parterre.
You agree that users cannot slip and get injured?
This marble is excellent, and it's very easy to check.
Yes, well, that's enough, you have to stop watering.
It's becoming dangerous.
Do you know the Olympic stadiums in Rome?
No, I don't think so.
Go there, you'll see, all the paths are marble and no one slips there, even when it rains.
Perhaps they treated the marble to make it more abrasive.
No, no, that's not it.
This marble does not need treatment.
Perhaps Italian shoes are particularly effective.
Like yours.
Come on, who starts?
I'd like to go.
Wait.
What's wrong with my shoes?
I'm not criticizing them, Otto.
I'm just saying they might have extraordinary grip.
There you go.
Do you agree to lend me your shoes?
Give me your shoes and I'll show you that this marble isn't slippery.
Please.
Yes, but I doubt we're the same size.
But I can ask one of my collaborators.
Vanderberghe?
You're taller than me, aren't you?
Yes, it shows.
What's your shoe size?
Yes, well.
And you, Forestier?
It depends on the shoes.
Are there shoes you wear?
Take them off.
Are you sure?
Mr. President,
Mr. President, welcome.
Thank you.
Mr. President.
Support rods.
So, there are 12 in total, each elliptical in shape.
I designed the base so that the cube rests very naturally.
So, each elephant's foot can support up to three times the weight of the Eiffel Tower.
A little more.
30,000 tons per pile.
That was the load needed to support the megastructure of the arch.
We are here in the future underground area of the building.
These are the foundations.
I'm sorry, Mr. President, but it's legendary.
Mr. President?
Do you recognize our Carrara marble?
Exactly.
I asked for some plates to be laid here.
34,000 marble slabs of this nature will be needed to cover the non-glazed parts of the building and the entire pavilion.
At the first downpour, it will become an ice rink, Mr. President.
No, I don't think so.
We need to do the test.
Exactly.
We need to do the test.
Mr. President, don't you believe me that I should go before you for the first time?
This bar is admirable.
and its hue will bring new splendor to the site.
Paris has no marble.
We are going to correct a historical anomaly.
Excellent news, isn't it?
Yes, it's a very beautiful marble, but... And you, Andr, what do you think?
It's an excellent carard, but I still think it needs to be treated.
Otherwise, it will degrade very quickly.
No, I don't think so.
You know, the air is too easy to parry.
Air pollution will eventually affect the marble.
Technically, we won't have a choice.
We always have a choice.
That's the difference between you and me.
It's absolutely conclusive.
I agree.
But we have a question.
Do we need to treat the marble?
I don't think so.
It will solely be to ensure its longevity.
It's about closing the pores of the stone to protect it from external attacks.
Stone is stone.
If you change its nature, it will no longer, over time, have the evolution that is expected of it.
It is important to know that it is an art to withstand the affronts of time.
There are enough examples to consider that it has been demonstrated.
Thank you very much, Mr. President.
Mr. President.
Andr accepted your marble.
Sybillon pays for it.
That's the most important thing.
You might as well let them treat it if they want.
No.
The marble is perfect.
I don't accept that they touch it.
You have a lot of feelings for your marble.
No.
You are in love.
You are in love with your mother, and that's why you react.
Darling, I'm reacting.
But I'm not in love with my mother.
I'm in love with you.
Thank you, sir.
Enjoy your meal.
Thank you.
Thank you.
My wife doesn't like me eating pizza.
Coffee?
Yes, thank you.
Foundations are laid.
The main lines are validated.
I'm leaving for some time.
At your convenience.
We had conflicts between... But I trust you to build my cube.
Thank you for your trust.
...
...
It's a one-hundredth reduction.
That's very good.
Is this a working stage?
It's a first proposal.
May I draw on it?
If you wish.
The reduction respects the proportions of the cube.
Yes, I know.
Each line represents a floor.
The painting will be inside the cube.
No one will ever see my painting in its entirety.
No one.
But... floor by floor, they will discover the whole painting.
I had not imagined things this way at all.
I had first thought of an outdoor fresco.
Think of it like a musical sculptor.
Think of it like a musical score.
You hear the notes one by one and discover them progressively.
So the fresco will be a symphony of colors that will not be grasped all at once, but in successive touches, creating a perception, a sensation that evolves.
I can call it a symphony for a cube or a symphonic arch.
Excellent idea.
I will write a text in this vein to lay the theoretical foundations of this concept and we could co-sign it.
Isn't that fantastic?
Otto, I think we need to focus.
We need to focus and concentrate.
It sounds important.
Tell him I'm working on the cut and we need to... I don't want to be disturbed.
We have an appointment with Jupp now and he hinted that SICOM would be available.
Who is Jupp?
New Budget Minister.
And what does the president say?
He can't say anything anymore.
He's no longer president?
Yes, but he no longer decides anything.
He must now deal with a national assembly that has changed political color.
This is called cohabitation.
I don't understand.
Who summarizes it for him?
The president is left-wing, but now his entire government is right-wing.
But Sybillon, the cube is neither right nor left, the cube is for everyone.
Everyone.
The cube is expensive, and the right only talks about budget cuts and austerity.
And the bicentenary of the French Revolution and the future of humanity, is that our project?
Do we have a contract?
They can't stop the Zicom?
What are they going to do with our cube?
Stay seated, I have very little time.
The President's cube.
For the good of humanity, Mr. Minister.
If I believe the specialists, it's a very beautiful architectural project.
All my congratulations.
Thank you very much.
Mr. Minister, we heard that you were considering dissolving SICOM.
Yes, it will be published in the Official Journal very soon, won't it?
The decree was issued this morning, so it will be published within the week.
If SICOM is dissolved, to what project does the new government now destine this building?
It's up to you to decide.
To you or to those who will buy it back?
Listen, the fact is simple.
You dug, well, I mean the previous socialist government, dug an abyssal chasm in record time.
We inherited a critical situation and must urgently save 400 million francs.
The State cannot afford to support all ambitious projects.
Who will incur the next construction expenses?
We have contracts that have been signed.
More than 150 workers, specialized technicians, daily on site.
I don't know.
But the State is disengaging.
It is up to you to find the synergies.
Our will, from now on, is to encourage private initiative.
And your building has enough assets to attract investors.
And that is your mission, from now on.
Create the right financial arrangements.
Someone like Leloup could make an excellent buyer.
Leloup?
Him or someone else.
I'm just saying Leloup seemed interested in the roof of your building.
For that, it would have to be opened, which shouldn't be too complicated.
Wait.
You want to open the roof?
I don't want anything.
Except to stop paying for the work.
Mr. Minister, if we sell the roof to a private company, they will want to put their name there in huge letters.
That means every time we go under the Arc de Triomphe, to lay a wreath for the unknown soldiers, we'll read Lida or Pernod Ricard in illuminated letters.
Is that what you want?
Forgive me, I'm not sure I understand your objection.
What do you have against private enterprise?
No one can talk about the cube like that.
I fully agree.
You can talk about the cube like walking on the carpet.
That's true, but he's the Minister of Budget.
But...
I don't talk to ministers.
Minister comes from the word minus.
A minister is a servant, and I do not serve the servant.
Perhaps so.
But if we don't listen to them, they will simply stop the construction.
No.
I do not agree with that.
No one can stop the President's construction.
No one.
Otto, please.
Your turn.
Mr. Sprickhalsen, the President will not be back tonight.
I need to speak with Mr. President.
It's an emergency.
But the President is not here.
But I can wait for him.
He won't come.
You must leave the premises.
Where is he?
In Venezuela.
It's useless to wait for him.
I don't believe you.
Sir.
Sir.
Sir, we are closing the premises to visitors.
I am not a visitor.
I am an architect.
Can I call him?
What time is it there?
The President is not reachable.
I'm sorry.
What do I do?
Do you want me to call you a car?
There's a taxi stand on Rue Saint-Honor.
What do I do to take care of myself?
What would you do in my place?
I thought you had given up.
We are waiting for us to throw in the towel and they entrust us with the viability of the project knowing that the mission is impossible.
You can't go from a public building to a profitable real estate operation without adjustment.
But if we adjust intelligently, then we can catch them in their own trap.
What trap?
I went to see the president and they told me he wasn't there.
Do you think that's a trap too?
No.
Jupp prevents us from selling.
But even if we sold all the spaces, we would be far from the 3.5 million dollars needed.
And he knows it.
That's why Subilon is so desperate.
And he was quick to get things done.
Andr... I believe it was never designed to make money.
That was never the idea.
But it can generate more easily.
That means producing more office space.
But what office space?
Only SICOM is supposed to have its offices there.
There is no more SICOM.
But if we add 15 floors to the cube, the new space we've created will allow us to finance the operation.
You want to change the shape of the cube?
Paradoxically, it is by enlarging it that we will succeed in building your cube.
But no, that's impossible.
We cannot alter the geometry of the cube.
That would challenge the entire urban harmony of the project.
Do you consider these dimensions to be definitive?
But naturally, what kind of question is that?
The cube is a cube, Andr.
If you change it, it's no longer a cube.
So, if we don't touch the main cube, we must obtain it in place of the small cubes around it on the esplanade and replace them with taller, denser buildings.
You want to remove the small cube?
To save the main cube, yes.
Without hesitation.
By building four complexes that you would design,
We finance the grand cube, the esplanade, the gardens, and the clouds.
We thus save the essential.
But the President delights in the project with the small cube.
The President is unfortunately no longer in control.
With this new government, if we don't produce marketable square meters, the cube is in danger.
You are entering the urgent.
I'm playing them at their own game.
They invoke the principle of reality.
They are right.
Construction is about pragmatism.
So, let's adapt.
If we don't, the arch is dead.
You're destroying the project to make it your own.
You're selling my cube.
No, I'm trying to save it.
No, you're not.
You're trying to destroy it, in every necessary way.
A project is never static, and you know that.
It evolves.
We must keep going.
This game of twice your time is vile.
You are a cheat.
You're taking my cube, but this cube is my idea.
The cube is the work of my life!
Liv?
Liv?
I think we need to go the other way.
We'll say goodbye for tomorrow.
No, no.
We cannot see him.
Tomorrow, you'll look for them.
We must mark ourselves, otherwise they will eat us.
They are cannibals and barbarians.
I understand, but it's complicated, Alexander, against a government.
The best we can do is sleep on it.
We have the law on our side, because we have all the drawings.
All the competition boards are publicly made, so they cannot be denounced.
So the cuts, and the small cuts, and the layers, they must be built.
They must be built as agreed.
This is the prohibition of my work.
This is the prohibition of my integrity, of my artistic integrity.
And that's me.
Andr?
I'm looking for Andr.
The architect?
No, the project manager of the constructions.
He's on the walkway.
Who is he?
It's not my moment.
See that with Subilu.
I made technical validations.
The rest is not my part.
You didn't tell me anything.
Why?
I don't know, probably because you weren't there.
We make budget arbitrations every day on a construction site.
It's not my marvel.
Listen, my God, we have deadlines to meet.
I told you yesterday, the urgency is to move forward.
To move forward, we need to... Stop!
We are working!
You were saying... Martine, here he is.
You call him, you organize this meeting and everyone should be there.
Why didn't you say something about Marmor?
What?
What are you talking about?
You thought it was better to explain myself?
I don't understand what you're imagining.
I don't know what you're talking about.
They changed Marmor.
It's too stupid.
I didn't know that.
Where does it come from?
I told you to keep an eye on her.
They gather behind my back and you must keep them in mind.
You don't do anything.
That's not true.
It was your role.
It was you who had to do it.
What was I to do if I can no longer trust you?
You must not shout at me, Otto.
You must not talk to me like that, Otto.
Not to me.
You just need to calm down.
What was I to do if I can no longer trust you?
Of course you can trust me, Otto.
You have no right to say that.
You have no right to be known.
Did you say anything?
No.
No, you can see it.
You can see it.
You're not on my side anymore.
And when you're not on my side anymore, there's no one else.
I am all alone.
There's no one.
So I am surrounded by idiots, gangsters, and perverts.
What's happening?
You see, I'm leaving.
Sorry.
I would like you to excuse me.
Yes.
But that's not how you talk to me.
It's not going to happen again.
No, Otto, it's not going to happen again.
But it destroys me when I'm called names.
It destroys me.
Do you understand?
Yes, I understand.
No, wait.
You excuse me and I hear you.
But I'm still destroying myself, right?
Wait a moment.
It was I who refused to validate the order for your Carrara due to its price.
Moreover, Andr did not wish to change marble, but he guided us when I informed him that the Carrara you had chosen would be abandoned.
I didn't do it willingly.
I did it mainly in the interest of the general economy of the cube.
When I see how things are turning out today, it confirms my belief that there was no other possible solution.
Our relations have experienced ups and downs, that's undeniable.
We will find a more virtuous operating mode.
You do what you want.
It's no longer my business.
Mr. President, I have come to present my resignation.
But that's impossible.
Why?
You both have your ideas.
And now, you are free.
But you are the architect.
And then, we have a contract.
You don't respect contracts.
It means nothing anymore.
Otto, we need you.
No, that's false.
The small cubes are gone.
The clouds are gone.
Glued glass is forbidden in France and now you've changed the good marble that the president chose for an ugly marble.
The cube was supposed to be white and smooth and now it's grey and sad.
It's no longer my cube and I won't be able to look at it.
May I speak with the architect alone?
Mr. Architect, do you confirm that your decision is irrevocable.
Yes, Mr. President.
I was very proud to be invited by France.
You knew your ambition to exchange life.
But lately, I have felt very alone.
I have encountered too many jokes.
I appreciate your honesty.
Don't surprise me, your cube is a straightforward work, and you designed it in your own image.
But it's not just that.
This cube takes up too much space.
It took me away from my own life.
I want to find my wife again.
I forgot the most important things.
What does she like?
Which book?
Which music?
I don't know how she sleeps.
How is her skin?
I want to find that again.
I want to go to the opera with her.
I want to go fishing with both of them.
I don't want the cube.
Everywhere.
Between her and me.
You are probably making the right choice.
Obviously, I fully respect your decision.
I will give instructions for this separation to be handled elegantly and for your emoluments to therefore remain unchanged.
Thank you for everything, Mr. President.
That's perfectly normal, given the quality of the exchanges I had the honor of sharing with you.
In return, and given the political context that weakens the project, let's agree not to communicate this resignation to the press or the profession, the contract stipulates it.
Let's maintain a certain confidentiality so as not to harm the image of the cube, nor yours, naturally.
Naturally.
I don't agree with your decision.
It's not the first time.
When I built Roissy, I was 29 years old.
More than once, I wondered if I wasn't an impostor.
All throughout the construction, I kept thinking, what am I doing here?
Very often, I even felt dizzy.
But I held on.
Because afterwards, it was too easy to give up.
You are mistaken.
You have to believe in these ideas to do that.
But here, you are not defending your ideas.
You are giving them up.
You are putting your ego before your work.
If it were a matter of ego, I wouldn't have stopped.
This commission is too prestigious, you know that.
Know in any case that your radicalism impresses me.
It is a source of inspiration for me.
It's good if you learned something from me.
Better late than never.
You know, Andr is right.
Not only are you abandoning your project, but you are abandoning everyone who created your cube.
Everyone who believed in you.
In our respective roles, we did our utmost to ensure the cube could see the light of day.
I am part of that.
I put all my time, all my energy, all my faith.
Remember that a project is only one idea, but it must be a strong idea.
Here, the stones move in two places, here and there.
They do so to make way for a very, very beautiful staircase corridor.
It's magnificent.
It's really good.
You did not understand the object.
You built to the wrong scale and did not respect the specifications regarding material choice.
You are therefore completely ready to work in France.
I gave a very good character, despite everything, because I feel great passion in the project and I think that's the most important thing.
I would like to congratulate all your projects because there is a great identity in all the projects.
It's very important.
The next step will be to respect the client's needs.
Excuse me, can we talk together?
Yes.
I know you don't want to talk about Paris, but we have to consider the protests against the black blocks.
What black blocks?
Those who want to put the rises instead of your white corridors.
When I saw that they wanted to make them black, I was really surprised.
Don't think about that.
I signed a document that supports the Ophre association.
It's been a long time.
It's no longer my project.
But they are taking care of your original idea.
The blocks are against your cut.
I'm no longer in it, Miko.
I left it behind me.
Soft music
Sir, we are looking for Johann Otto von Sprechelsen.
His tomb should be in the back east of the cemetery.
Where is it?
I think it's this way.
We went there, but we couldn't find him.
Maybe the Natives' Quarter.
Quarter?
The Natives' Quarter.
Thank you.
Who was he?