Curly bits in the Auvergne

The visit to the steelworkers atelier in the Auvergne was well worth the 600 km. The atelier is in a tiny village of no more than 50 inhabitants situated in the extreme north of the Auvergne region. The company has a very large set of gates proudly displayed in front of the atelier, worthy of the entrance to Versailles with lots of knobs and curly bits (really not to The Architects particular taste but impressive all the same) and in stark contrast to the industrial construction of the atelier. The gates show off, to passers by, their prowess at twisting metal into all sorts of complicated twists and turns and swan like forms etc. Despite this this innate 'savoir faire' they have managed to build the 'minimalist rectilinear gates of my design with absolutely no curly bits. Well nearly, just one tiny little curly bit.......the floor bolt that locks the gate has a Shepherds crook top to it - it was so cute that I've decided to keep it. How magnanimous of me. Despite the risk of being called Post Modern. Brave too.


I arrived at around midday, so, after the serious business of 'déjeuner' being taken care of in the nearby Auberge we got down to the less serious task of working out what to do with the structural disaster of the steel gates. After lots of cogitation a simple solution was decided on that should do the job and stiffen the structure with the addition of the least possible steel.