The balise is a landmark, a beacon containing basic facilities for the urban nomads of Paris. The design is premised on a competition programme. In Paris there are some forty to sixty thousand people sleeping on the street. Part of that group has chosen to live on the street for one reason or another, and nothing or nobody will tempt them back into the social network. These days, though, there are many additional homeless living on the street against their will. Especially this last group prompted the Balise Urbaines competition, an initiative to make nomadism in today's cities more livable. The brief calls for a network of beacons or buoys catering to the needs of the Parisian homeless, to be situated in the city centre on vacant ground of no commercial value. These buoys can save the nomads or homeless from slipping even further downhill, and give them access to the social network. To this end, the balises are equipped with certain primary facilities.

In the first place, they provide their users with a postal address. Next, they offer means of communication generally denied the homeless. Then there are safe deposits for necessary items such as identity papers, a change of clothes and the like. Finally, there are sanitary facilities and a washroom. A magnetic card distributed by the council opens the entrance to the various services in the balises. A member of staff is present in the reception area for a chat and to keep an eye on things.

The balises are expected to be financed by advertising agencies. The instigators of the competition insist that in no way do they regard the balises as providing a permanent solution to the problems of the homeless.

Place of education: TU Eindhoven
Tutors: Hans Ruijssenaars, Gerard van Zeijl & Lex Kerssemakers
Specialization: architecture.