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Architecture in Paris

Paris' modern architecture is rather poor: the ugly Tour Montparnasse, the uglier still "front de Seine", the sinister high rise buildings erected under Georges Pompidou, the Defense neighborhood, across the Seine, in Puteaux, the devastated 13th arrondissement which became the big Chinatown when immigrants from Asian countries started coming to France and found cheap rents there. The city's jewels are small and often hidden (without counting those from the early history of the city): Portzamparc's Cité de la Musique or its Café Beaubourg; the renovation of the Louvre, Yohji Yamamoto's showroom, the Lecorbusier's foundation. Here are a few addresses to get started on your discovery of the city's architecture.


Pavillon de l'Arsenal. FREE The municipal museum is one of the unknown treasures of the city. It is dedicated to architecture and urban design. Its permanent show, "Paris, la ville et ses projets", is an excellent way to start exploring the capital, after tghe musée Carnavalet, the museum of its history. L'Arsenal's shows are always entertaining and intriguing, like 2001's "Jean Prouvé et Paris", dedicated to the great architect/designer.

Pavillon de l'Arsenal 21, Blvd Morland. 75004. Mo Sully-Morland. 01 42 76 33 97.

Pavillon du centenaire de l'aluminium Ateliers Jean Prouvé, concepteur-constructeur, maître d'oeuvre.© Jean-Marie Monthiers - ADAGP 2001

 

Institut Français d'Architecture. This elegant building between the Place Saint Sulpice and the Luxembourg, is always doing its best to present good shows. This year's exhibition called "Hanoi, Le cycle des métamorphoses", on the former imperial capital, was extremely entertaining. Not often on the map of Paris visitors, but those interested in architecture should check it out.

Institut Français d'Architecture 6bis, rue de Tournon. 75006. Mo Odéon. 01 46 33 90 36

  
 

Rue de Croulebarbe. Architect Alexandre Chemetoff claims this street is one of the city's jewels which needs to be rediscovered. "There, you can see all the transformations the city has undergone, understand its history and geography," he says. In that street you'll find the first Paris "skyscraper" (67 meters high), designed by Edouard Albert in the 1950's. You'll also discover the "Mobilier National", the building which houses the State's furniture, designed by the Perret brothers in 1934. They were the first ones to use concrete without hiding it.ĘThe rue Croulebarbe has also one of the city's most wonderful modern gardens, designed by Jean-Charles Moreux (1889-1956).

Rue de Croulebarbe. 13th arr. Mo Gobelins, Corvisart

 

La Galerie d'architecture. The space is three things in one: a gallery dedicated to architecture, a bookstore and a café. 11, rue des Blancs manteaux. 75004. 01 49 96 64 00. Mo Rambuteau. www.galerie-architecture.fr
    Le Corbusier
Born in Switzerland "Corbu" was a Parisian for most of his adult life. Despite his international fame, Paris which was profoundly conservative, did not very much like Le Corbusier. A good place to retrace the architect's footsteps, is the Fondation Le Corbusier, housed in the two villas built by the master, La Roche and Jeanneret. The foundation sits at the end of a lovely dead end street, in the quiet 16th arrondissement. 8, square du Docteur Blanche. 75016. Mo Jasmin. 01 42 88 41 53.
Le Corbusier also built a small apartment complex a little further south . He kept the top floor loft for himself. The apartment, rue Nungesser et Coli, near the Bois de Boulogne, has recently been restored to its original state. It is now open to the public, but one needs to make an appointment with the foundation. Five visitors are allowed per time slot. (Only on Wed.) Next to it, in the same street, walk around the magical Allée Mallet-Stevens, rue du Docteur Blanche.
 

Other Le Corbusier buildings you can visit (but be sure to call first. Visiting hours are very erratic):

 
  • Villa Planeix (built 1924). 24Bis, Blvd Massena. 75013. 01 53 82 05 26
  • Cité du Refuge-Armée du Salut (1929). 12, rue Cantagrel. 75013. 01 53 61 82 35. The Salvation Army building can be visited daily before 5pm.
  • Cité Universitaire. 7, Blvd Jourdan. 75015. In the compound for international students, near the Parc Montsouris, the architect designed two pavilions in the space of 20 years: Pavillion suisse (1930) 01 44 16 10 10 Maison du Brésil ( 1953). 01 58 10 23 00
  • Maisons Jaoul (1951). 83, rue de Longchamp. Neuilly sur Seine. To visit the two houses, you need to fax the owner in Nîmes: 04 66 29 44 09
 
  • Maison-atelier Ozenfant (1922). 53 ave Reille. 75014
 
 
  • Villa Cook (1926). 6, rue Denfert-Rochereau. Boulogne-Billancourt.
 
 
  • Villas Lipchitz-Miestchaninoff (1923). 9, allée des Pins. Boulogne-Billancourt.
  

The French Communist Party headquarters: The avant-garde building conceived by Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer has become super hip. In 2000, Italian fashion house Prada rented the building to present its collection. Niemeyer, who went on to design Brazilia, the Brazilian capital, has created a beautiful building. He wanted a simple construction without ornament. The walls of the Place du Colonel Fabien have kept the marks of the wooden boards used to build them.

The French Communist Party headquarters 2, place du Colonel Fabien. 75019.

Some 20th century buildings:

With the Eiffel Tower, the Grand Palais is the building which inaugurated the 20th century. It has a classical facade over a revolutionary iron structure.

Grand Palais: Ave Winston Churchill. 75008. Mo Champs-Elysees-Clemenceau

La Samaritaine. Architect Frantz Jourdain's building was the first department store in the capital. Emile Zola was inspired by it to write his novel "Au Bonheur des Dames". 19, rue de la Monnaie. 75001. Mo. Pont-Neuf
The Palais de Chaillot was built for the 1937 World Fair. It is one of the most beautiful view points in the capital. 1, place du Trocadero. 75016. Mo Trocadero.
The CNIT (Centre National des Industries et des Techniques) is a tribute to the mid century. The monumental building is now a little lost in the Defense neighborhood but it is still spectacular. La Défense. Mo Esplanade de la Défense.
La Grande Arche de la Défense. In 1982, an international architectural contest was opened to create a building which would "close" the axis which runs from the Louvre, through the Tuileries, to the Etoile arc of triumph, to the business district of La Défense. Otto Von Spreckelsen, a Danish professor of architecture who had never built anything, was chosen by François Mitterrand. It is a spectacular modern arch. Mo. La Défense-Grande Arche.
L'Institut du Monde Arabe. Jean Nouvel has designed this steel and glass building (he also designed the Cartier Foundation, 261 Blvd Raspail. A great place to visit. Interesting garden). The southern facade has a system which regulate the light coming into the building. The roof has one of the best views of Paris. 1, rue des Fosses Saint-Bernard. 75005. Mo Cardinal-Lemoine.
La Bibliothèque Nationale de France. The project, designed by Dominique Perrault, has been much criticized. It is four towers like four open books, an amazing "forest" in the middle of the towers and an elegant wooden platform all around. A great place to go to at night, when the area is empty (You can have a drink or listen to music at the now cult place Batofar, moored just there). 11, quai Francois Mauriac. 75013. Mo Bibliothèque François Mitterrand.

Passage de Retz. The 17th century Hôtel Elboeuf was a toy factory until it became a gallery, transformed by Jacqueline Klugman. François and Sylvain Dubuisson, two talented brothers have redesigned the site while the boutique and the café have been created by Christian Blecher. The Passage de Retz is not only a beautiful space, it also presents great design, architecture, photography shows. It invites soiciologists, philosophers, writers, to organize shows.

Passage de Retz. 9, rue Charlot. 75003. Mo Filles du Calvaire. 01 48 04 37 99

Café Beaubourg. After the legendary and now defunct Café Costes, owned by Jean-Louis Costes and designed in 1980 by Philippe Starck, Gilbert Costes - his brother - asked Pritzker Prize winner Christian de Portzamparc to build a modern cafe near the Pompidou center. The result is really wonderful. Nice crowd and good cafe food.

Café Beaubourg 43, rue Saint-Merri. 75004. 01 48 87 63 96. Mo Hôtel de Ville, Châtelet.

Parc de Bercy. The park covers almost 30 acres. It used to be the wine warehouse district. The place is truly magical with its many different gardens and the century old trees which have been preserved. You can see Frank Gehry's failed project for the American Center. The interesting building triggered the falling apart of the foundation which spent all his money on this project. It will soon become a film museum.

Parc de Bercy. rue Joseph Kessel, rue Paul Belmondo. 75012. Mo Bercy.


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