Colloquium 2026
Island Ambiances : For an experiential and sensorial approach to spaces
Introduction
Beyond visible landscapes and material infrastructure, islands are lived and perceived through their ambiances—the textures of light, wind, humidity, sound, temperature, and seasonal variations that form the experiential fabric of island built environments. These sensitive and experiential qualities influence how communities inhabit space, remember place, and imagine the future, yet they remain underexplored within local research frameworks.
Over the past decade, the field of ambiances has largely been shaped by tourism-driven agendas, often influenced by European perspectives. The definition of ambiance tends to be ambivalent and is often referred to as a feeling, but the French pioneer of the notion of ambiance, Jean-François Augoyard¹, highlighted that ambiance is a creative and dynamic process that embraces science and technology, everyday usage, and the input of art. By attending to the sensory, affective, and climatic dimensions of island life, we open new pathways for interdisciplinary inquiry at the intersection of geography, architecture, environmental humanities, and community-based research.
Building on our previous colloquia on water-related issues and coastal transitions, this third edition of the CEDTI Colloquium turns its attention to the ambiances that mediate the relationship between land, sea, and human experience through the built environment. As climate crises intensify, coastlines erode, and communities face environmental instability, the relationship between people and their territories is increasingly marked by uncertainty and rapid change. In this context, ambiances become a relevant lens for observing, understanding, and supporting these transformations—what is at stake in adaptation and resilience, but also in cultural continuity and ways of inhabiting a place. The Island Ambiances colloquium invites participants to explore how sensory, spatial, and technological approaches can help us understand and support societies through these transformations. It aims to cultivate a shared vocabulary and interdisciplinary dialogue around the island ambiances, opening new possibilities for research, design, and community engagement across island regions.
Programme
Call for Artistic Proposal
Context
The "Island Ambiances" colloquium brings together researchers working on the sensory and experiential dimensions of island spaces. For two editions now, we have linked artistic creation with academic reflection – through dance, digital imagery and performance (Frères Joseph, Stephen Bongarçon's company, Yuri Bordelais), through film (Patrice Canabady, Sarah Ather Khan), through poetry (Zainab Soyfoo) & cartography (Kim Yip Tong & Victoria Fauve Desvaux de Marigny). This year, we wish to broaden these collaborations by inviting artists from all disciplines to invest in the colloquium.
Five Entry Points for Creation
Proposals may draw on one or more of the following themes, freely interpreted:
-
Sensitive architectures and spatial experiences
-
Digital sensing and environmental visualisation
-
Geo-sensitive approaches to island ambiances
-
Knowledge and skills relating to island ambiances
-
The arts and island ambiances
CEDTI, in partnership with Medine Group, launches its second edition of architectural design competition focusing on ambiances of affordable houses as part of the Colloquium 2026.
This competition invites participants to design dwellings and shared spaces in Bambous that are economically viable, climatically resilient, and sensorially grounded — restoring ambiance as a central driver of architectural conception. How can affordable housing become a model of climate-ready, ambiance-rich, socially cohesive living - while remaining financially viable for builders?
¹Jean-François Augoyard, "Pour une esthétique d'ambiance", Ambiances [online], Rediscovering, published online October 13, 2020, accessed October 15, 2020. URL : http://journals.openedition.org/ambiances/3136 ; DOI : https://doi.org/10.4000/ambiances.3136