economically and socially unstable, and by the 80s the first towers began to be destroyed. But in the 90s, the projects began to be recognised by cultural historians for their architectural and social significance. Eventually, in the 2000s, initiatives were launched to rehabilitate the Grand Ensembles, but much remains to be done to take care of this utopian, urban environment.

Why are the estates so empty in your work?

I wanted to create the atmosphere of a ghostly parallel world, mixing past and future while consciously conveying an impression of towns that are emptied of their residents and where the buildings dominate the people. The majority of the images were shot early in the morning to emphasise this feeling of a post-apocalyptic alternate reality.

Why did you focus on the livesit also allowed me to meet an older generation which was hugely enriching. I built a very truthful relationship with one of the first elderly people I became close to, José (dressed in a green coat and cap). He had this penetrating gaze; his face is lined with experience, which was exactly what I wanted to capture against the architecture of the Ensembles. I wanted to understand how different the world now is compared to when he was living 70 years ago, and I imagined how I would be at his age.