Two new exhibitions on earth construction in Paris starting in December !

Grains de Bâtisseurs

Building with earth, from material to architecture
From December 13th 2014 to March 14th 2015

Considering sand castles in a different way

L’Espace des Sciences Pierre-Gilles de Gennes hosts till March 2015 an exhibition on building with grains. The material grains is the second most treated, used and eaten material by humans just after water. It is however astonishing to discover how a heap of sand can be transformed into a solid wall, that is esthetic and stable at the same time! What are the physicochemical properties of the grains, on the border between liquid and solid but able to accomplish such miracles?

The exhibition Grains de bâtisseurs reveals the interest of actual researches of ESPCI ParisTech on the understanding of the material. It proposes an interactive and playful approach that shows the importance of this sustainable material in our daily life.

Free entrance

The exhibition is open to the public from Tuesday to Saturday, from 2.00 p.m. to 5.00 p.m.

* Closed during Christmas Holidays *

For more information: http://www.espgg.org/Grains-de-Batisseurs

Grains de génie

« Exhibition to manipulate »

From December 2^nd 2014 till March 3^rd 2015

Palais de la découverte

Grains de génie is an “exhibition to manipulate” that invites to experiment some physical principles of the material grains: for example grains that form heaps of sand, earth or clay. Gross raw material in our daily life, where we walk on: a very familiar material but still with so much secrets! Who would have thought that something that common as a heap of sand could invoke surprising and sophisticated scientific notions? The Palais de la découverte proposes on 300m² an “exhibition to manipulate” that invites everyone to test the properties of the material grain: sand, earth or clay. You will never look at your footsteps on the beach in the same way!

For more information: http://www.palais-decouverte.fr/fr/au-programme/expos-temporaires/grains-de-genie/lexposition/