The 'ARCHINOTE' collection came into existence at the end of 2012. A series of postcard format guide books in two languages, illustrated with photos and drawings that explain a building and its features in situ: the site and the context, the origins of the project, the architecture and its creators, the technical, design, landscaping and other related issues.

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The collection was born out of a passion for architecture and recognition that a gap in the market needed filling: architectural and city tourism enthusiasts often end up either with a case full of books and an empty wallet, or the opposite...

This was the basis of our idea: the 'why/how' of a building in a pocket-sized, affordable guide book.

'Tourists' don't all speak French, so the Archinotes are in two languages - usually French and English.

Voici un lien qui vous permet de feuilleter et de lire l'Archinote 004

Archinote 004 : Lyon, le Parc de la Tête d'Or

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We aim for high quality,

Both in our choice of subjects: remarkable buildings or sites open to the public, with a strong significance for the city in which they are set;

and in their production: our Archinotes are for the general public as well as for more experienced enthusiasts; offering a user-friendly guided tour

The photos, numerous and illustrative, invite the reader to visit the building for themselves, and serve as a keepsake of the visit.

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Archinote n°6, Cap Moderne in Roquebrune Cap-Martin.

The books themselves attest to these high standards: perfect for any pocket or bag, sturdy enough to resist enthusiastic perusal; so even a well-thumbed copy will not end up as a set of dog-eared, unbound pages at the bottom of your bag.

This is because we have opted for a robust quality of paper, both in terms of weight (115 gr/m2 for inside pages and 200 gr/m2 for the cover) and the laminated mat treatment which makes it pleasant to touch, improves water resistance and provides exceptional protection.

Exigences également en termes de prix : la qualité à un prix abordable…

The books themselves attest to these high standards: perfect for any pocket or bag, sturdy enough to resist enthusiastic perusal; so even a well-thumbed copy will not end up as a set of dog-eared, unbound pages at the bottom of your bag.

This is because we have opted for a robust quality of paper, both in terms of weight (115 gr/m2 for inside pages and 200 gr/m2 for the cover) and the laminated mat treatment which makes it pleasant to touch, improves water resistance and provides exceptional protection.

Mêmes exigences en termes de prix : la qualité à un prix abordable…

Size matters, and our choice of format means we can keep printing costs as low as possible.

We work with printers in the Rhône-Alpes region who employ a pro-active policy for sustainable development.

All this means that we can offer a sale price of €4.50 for single examples (36 pages) and €6 for doubles (68 pages)

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Archinote n°8, the Mac Val in Ivry sur Seine.

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We have seen a promising start, winning the Lyon CCI (French chamber of commerce) prize, and the product has been well received by all...

In order to galvanize our development, the main question we now have to address is that of distribution.

We could settle for a ‘cottage industry’ style system of distribution, working with selected booksellers but handling our own post and packing.

Or we could choose to work with a distribution/marketing company. But these large structures are not very interested in 'small publishers'.

In order to get around these difficulties, we have decided to look at the alternative options for funding: to find a 'distribution' method based on the advanced sale of annual subscriptions.

In addition to raising our profile and getting the Archinotes into the public domain, it will create a beneficial snowball effect...

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The collection began in Lyon and then spread across France. Coming soon - Europe and beyond...

Si les abonnements hors de la France sont nombreux, cela nous pousserait à sortir rapidement de l’hexagone…

Les prochains numéros : Ils paraîtront de septembre 2016 à juin 2017

Les bâtiments que seront choisis pour l'année prochaine se retrouvent dans toute la France, Lille ou Roubaix, Nantes ou Rennes, Bordeaux, Marseille, Montpellier... Le choix n’est pas encore définitivement arrêté et nous pouvons réfléchir à certaines de vos suggestions.

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Essaiphotobio1-1458827651 Françoise Debuyst:

Following her childhood in Brussels, Françoise went on to study architecture and town planning in the Netherlands. She worked in a French project management office for over 20 years before creating her publishing company, Carapace Edition, and launching the Archinote collection - for which she is both graphic designer and one of the photographers.

Photobio2-1458827759 Christine Desmoulins

A journalist specializing in architecture and curator of many exhibitions, Christine Desmoulins has written for several journals in France and abroad. She is the author of numerous works and architect monographs published by various houses.

Christine is co-director of the Archinote collection

Photobio4-1458827803 Joanne Nebbia

Born in the UK, she has lived in France since 1991. After working for several years writing ad copy for the London press, Joanne held PA positions at a number of different companies, including for the senior partner at an architectural practice in London. Today, she combines her creative writing skills with an excellent knowledge of France and its language as a translator specializing in editorial copy.