The mouth of the Vuachère is a biodiversity-rich ecosystem and an important nesting ground for birds, which feed on the micro-organisms carried downstream by the river. It also provides a resting area for migratory birds making the long journey from north to south or from east to west. Le Cercle des oiseaux is a temporary installation that serves as a giant perch for the species that inhabit the shoreline, allowing passersby to observe the birds without disturbing them.

Its circular shape echoes the form of a compass rose, enabling the birds to choose which direction to face. Perching birds tend to face into the wind so that the air slides over their aerodynamic plumage, helping to keep out the cold. The quayside promenade is typically bustling with people. This new perch is a space inaccessible to humans: a place where birds can interact with the lake and the river undisturbed, rest and recuperate, and observe passersby from a safe distance.

« Le territoire chez la plupart des oiseaux est un site de spectacularisation, il est le lieu par lequel l’oiseau peut être vu et entendu. L’on est d’ailleurs en droit de se demander si dans certains cas […], ce n’est pas tant pour défendre son territoire que l’oiseau chante et parade, ce serait plutôt le territoire qui lui offrirait la scène pour ses chants et ses exhibitions. »

Vinciane Despret, Habiter en oiseaux, Arles : Actes Sud, 2019