Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Clichy Spring Warehouses were built between 1905 and 1911 for the Grands Magasins du Printemps, according to the plans of architects Abel Simonet and Ernest Papinot. They illustrate the technical innovation of the period with their reinforced concrete structure, designed by engineer François Hennebique, and their Art Nouveau style. The flamed sandstone ceramics, signed by Alexandre Bigot, and the metal frame of the Moisant-Laurent-Savey workshops make this an outstanding example of industrial architecture.

These warehouses were initially used for the storage of goods, manufacturing workshops and logistics services of the Spring, including stables for hippomobile deliveries. An annex was added in 1923 and 1930 by architects Jules Demoisson and Georges Wybo, expanding the site with additional reinforced concrete floors and shed roofs. The complex thus reflects the evolution of the department store's logistical needs.

Partially classified as historical monuments in 1991 (facades and roofs), the structures were rehabilitated from 1993 by Philippe Robert and Bernard Reichen. After sheltering Prisunic and then the Fnac, the premises today welcome the French headquarters of Amazon. The rehabilitation, however, resulted in the disappearance of auxiliary mill buildings linked to horse deliveries.

The site, located at 69 boulevard du Général-Leclerc, embodies the transition from the traditional industrial era to the commercial modernity of the 20th century. Its architecture, combining functionality and aesthetic Art Nouveau, bears witness to the importance of department stores in the urbanisation and the Parisian economy of the time.

External links