Paris in Detail
To create architecture that is true to people and place, close observation of a project’s context is essential, and there are few better ways of sharpening our powers of observation than travel.
This summer I was lucky enough to visit Paris with my family for a much needed summer break. On this trip I focused less on the broader, well-known images of Paris, like intricate facades of Haussmannian buildings, creamy white limestone, cafés on tree-lined boulevards, the Eiffel Tower. Instead my attention gravitated to the small scale. Below I’ve highlighted a handful of remarkable architectural details from the trip.
A beautiful stainless steel handrail set in a limestone recess at the Cour Marly in the Musée du Louvre. This handrail is part of the 1993 renovation of the space by architect IM Pei.
Well-worn brass light switches and door knob at Maison La Roche, an icon of modern architecture designed by Le Corbusier and built in 1925. Early Modern architecture is often thought of as monochromatic, but the vibrant blue here is one of more than 10 colors used throughout the house, and reflects the continuity between Corbusier’s work as a painter and architect.
Flowing, organic stone details at Hôtel Guimard, the home and studio of prominent Art Nouveau architect and designer Hector Guimard. He and his family occupied the house from 1913 to 1937, with Guimard’s architectural practice on the first floor and living quarters and his wife’s studio on the floors above.
Sinuous steel and oak staircases in the Musée Carnavalet. The museum is housed in the Hôtel Carnavalet, constructed around 1560. The staircases were added in the beautiful 2021 renovation by Snøhetta and Chatillon Architectes. Expertly renovated historical structures like this one were a highlight of the trip.
The astounding brickwork of the Institut d’Art et Archéologie - Université Paris. The building was designed by architect Paul Bigot and completed in 1932.
Paris is a city of beautiful wood parquet floors. Here parquet is unexpectedly applied to the underside of a stair at Galerie de Paléontologie et d'Anatomie comparée. The building was designed by French architect Ferdinand Dutert and opened in 1898. The ornate steel structure juxtaposed with wood, brick, and stone is reminiscent of work by Philadelphia’s own Frank Furness.
An impossibly light staircase at the Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporaine. The building was designed by French architect Jean Nouvel and completed in 2010. The first floor exhibition spaces are dematerialized to maximize transparency, allowing views to the gardens surrounding the building.
