Ivry: Light & Concrete Abriah Wofford
Speos Photo Reportage 2025
My father was an architect, and from a very young age, I was encouraged to consider the built environment as more than just space to be taken for granted. I was often confronted with thoughts on how our surroundings influence how we exist and interact with one another. In Paris the exploration of this idea brought me to Ivry-sur-Seine. Built between 1962 and 1987, the neighborhood is the brainchild of architects Renée Gailhoustet and Jean Renaudie. The intention behind it is simple: everyone has the right to a comfortable and beautiful living space, and good design should not be reserved just for those who can afford it. To communicate this ethos, the photos in this series give life and emotion to the structures that many categorize as cold and unlivable. I met with residents, including Serge Renaudie, the son of the two architects, to gain access to interiors and capture a feeling, giving the viewer an opportunity to experience what it means to be in that place at that time. Looking at this architecture through a modern-day lens ties the structures of Ivry-sur-Seine to the broader theme of equitable city planning and takes a critical look at how it can shape access to housing, infrastructure, and public space. Today, these ideas are just as relevant as they were 50 years ago. What are the implications of how we design our environment, and how can we be more intentional about it?
Abriah Wofford b. 1996
Abriah Wofford is an American photographer with a long history of transient living. Raised between the states of Idaho, Washington, and Colorado, she spent most of her childhood moving, and most of her adult life traveling. With a core belief that people are a product of their environment, the idea of space is at the forefront of her projects today. She uses her camera to examine the questions of how people interact with their environment, and how an environment affects psyche of those who live there. Ultimately, it comes down to using a photograph to represent how it feels to be in this space at this time. Abriah studied at Speos Institute of Photography in Paris, and is now based in the western United States.
Contact: abriah.wofford@gmail.com Website: abriahwofford.com Instagram: @abriahw