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Building à Bordeaux en Gironde

Gironde

Building

    6 Place Bir Hakeim
    33000 Bordeaux
Immeuble
Immeuble
Immeuble
Immeuble
Immeuble
Immeuble
Immeuble
Immeuble
Immeuble
Immeuble
Immeuble
Crédit photo : Juliofsanguino - Sous licence Creative Commons

Timeline

Temps modernes
Révolution/Empire
XIXe siècle
Époque contemporaine
1700
1800
1900
2000
1729
Gabriel's initial projects
1731
Construction of Customs wharf
1746
Agreement for the first dock
1748
Completion of the monumental perspective
1951
Monument protection
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui

Heritage classified

Façade and Roof (Case S 66): inscription by order of 14 April 1951

Key figures

Claude Boucher - Intendant of Bordeaux Initiator of the first dock in 1746.
Jacques Gabriel - Architect Author of the Customs projects and dock.
Ange-Jacques Gabriel - Architect Collaborate to the monumental perspective after 1746.
Aubert de Tourny - Intendant, successor of Boucher Relaunch the project with Angel-Jacques Gabriel.

Origin and history

The idea of a royal square and a uniform facade of the docks along the Garonne gradually emerged. In 1746, intendant Claude Boucher obtained the agreement of the jurats for the creation of a first dock. By 1729, the architect Jacques Gabriel had presented three projects, before building in 1731 the Quai de la Douane and adjacent facades. This work marked the beginning of an ambitious urban transformation, combining port functionality and monumental aesthetics.

When Boucher died, the project was taken over by Aubert de Tourny, in collaboration with Ange-Jacques Gabriel, son of Jacques Gabriel. In 1748, a homogeneous architectural perspective was completed, extending the Place de la Bourse (former Place Royale) towards the river. This urban program was characterized by an arcade base in the middle of the hangar, two square floors and an attic with the Mansard pierced by skylights. The facades, although partially altered (disappearance of wrought iron balconies), retain their original character thanks to their carved frames and lamers.

The arcades on the ground floor, originally designed to unify the whole, were sometimes modified by the installation of shops, altering their integrity. Despite these transformations, the general ordinance remains, reflecting the urban ambition of the 18th century in Bordeaux. The building located in 6 Bir-Hakeim Square, whose facade and roof have been protected since 1951, embodies this architectural heritage linked to the beautification of the docks and the economic influence of the city.

Architects Jacques Gabriel and his son Ange-Jacques played a central role in this project, combining classical rigour and adaptation to local constraints. Their work was part of a desire to modernise Bordeaux, then the major port of Atlantic trade, giving it an image of its economic importance. The sculpted motifs and slits of the base underline this search for elegance and monumentality.

External links