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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The building located at 51-55 rue Raynouard and 38 rue Berton, in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, is a major testimony to the modern architecture of the early 20th century. Entirely built in reinforced concrete between 1928 and 1930 by the Perret brothers, it replaces a former mansion owned by Auguste Perret himself. This choice of innovative materials and techniques for the time illustrates the audacity of architects, pioneers of this style in France. The facade, sober and geometric, is enhanced by a sculpted group signed André Abbal, adding an artistic dimension to the building.

Inside, the building retains remarkable elements, such as a helical staircase leading to the first basement, where the former agency of the Perret brothers was located. On the seventh floor, Auguste Perret's personal apartment was preserved, offering an overview of its living and working environment. Ranked Historic Monument by order of 31 October 1996, the building protects its facades, roofs, common areas, as well as the agency space and the apartment of Perret. These protections underline its heritage importance, both for its technical innovation and its connection to the history of French architecture.

The location of the building, in a residential and bourgeois area of the 16th arrondissement, reflects the social and urban context of Paris in the inter-war period. This period saw the emergence of a functional and aesthetic architecture, breaking with traditional styles, while integrating artistic elements such as Abbal's sculpture. The building thus embodies a transition to modernity, while anchoring its history in the Parisian landscape. The accuracy of its location, noted as "passable" (5/10), recalls the challenges of documentation of urban monuments, often modified or integrated into a dense fabric.

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