In a backyard on Esplanade Ave., large heaters glowed in the middle of a brick patio last night.

While viewers might've desired their warmth to reach a little further, the units were merely there to facilitate.  

Around the heaters was a cylinder made up of hundreds of pieces of shiny metal. The structure is one of 15 architectural installations scattered around the French Quarter and CBD this week, making up the annual showcase Descours.

While it's the kind of exhibit Buckminster Fuller would've no doubt enjoyed, it's presence in a French Quarter backyard made the object seem otherworldly.

As it turns out, it's more futuristic. The material used to surround the heaters is called thermobiometal -- a "smart metal" known for its ability to contract and expand depending on heat intake.

And as for the out-of-placement, that's by design.

Located in hidden walkways, private courtyards and rooftops, and several abandoned buildings, each Descours installation mixes a synthesized architectural structure with an already-existing space. Rather than sitting to be gazed upon independent of location, the installations depend -- for discord or harmony -- on the interaction with place. 

This year's theme is focused on the balance between the old and the new, the contemporary and the traditional, Curator and Director Melissa Urcan said. The group of installations will be open to the public through Sunday.

Not originally from New Orleans, upon her first visit Urcan immediately fell in love with the many hidden courtyards scattered around the city. 

"A lot of people miss the fact that [the French Quarter] is one of the most important places in New Orleans" Urcan said.

Some of those long, alley walkways and backyard spaces, just out of view and often inaccessible, are now open as part of Descours,

New Orleans architecture, while known for its traditional southern and European influences, is in a time of change. Urcan calls the six years of rebuilding the "largest planning exercise in America."

Because of this extensive planning, New Orleans is now home to many beautifully modern buildings, with more being built or renovated every month, she said. 

With many installations scattered in the CBD and on Canal Street, DesCours hopes to highlight the discourse between the old abandonded buildings that still exist, and the new structures that are going up.

Urcan said the event organizers wanted to "leave the spaces as they are... raw, untamed, maybe slightly dangerous." For the creepy voyeur in everyone, five families have opened up their homes. Display sites include four courtyards and a private rooftop.

In one private backyard on Esplanade Ave. a piece titled "Night Flowers" is centered around a giant, perforated canopy that covers a large portion of a backyard heavy on stone and brick. Eric Nulman created imprints of flowers in the bottom of the canopy. The flower's shapes are cast onto a brick wall by projectors On the wall, just as on the canopy itself, the colors flow from purple to an earthy orange. 

The piece is intrinsically connected to the space, as a palm tree cuts through the middle of the canopy, and a sun wall-hanging, with decidedly orange tint, can't help but seem like a designed part of the proceedings.

But the co-existence of installation and space is not always so seamless.

Long abandonded,  the old JOY Theater on Canal St. is now up for renovation. A piece titled "Luftwek" will be the last hurrah for the old interior.

Chicago designers Petra Poul Bachmaler and Sean Gallero have created a feathery, airy dream state, illuminated by video imagery and sounds of flight.

Not seeking to blend in, Luftwerk's interest lies in it's apparent disassociation with it's surroundings. Descours took care not to change the interior of exhibit sites, and the commitment is especially on display at this installation.

The contrast between the ephemeral feathery installation and the rough interior of the space creates a visual interpretation of the conversation happening in our city between the traditionalists and the contemporary architects. Quintron is set to DJ at the space Sunday, which is only sure to make the space more frenetic,.

All exhibits are free and open to the public daily. A guided tour, including an explanation of each piece by the architects, is also available for $20.

A new addition to the event will be a series of PodCasts by the media group Chimera+ available in print as well as for download as a PDF and on YouTube. For all you cheapskates out there, this is the best way to get a personalized tour without actually paying for it. Each podcast is about five minutes long and explains in depth about each piece, from the point of view of the creators.

For more information about DesCours and a map of installation sites, visit www.descours.us