Initial construction 1925 (≈ 1925)
Work started by Rodolphe Novello.
1929
First enlargement
First enlargement 1929 (≈ 1929)
Addition of an office on the ground floor.
1935
Second enlargement
Second enlargement 1935 (≈ 1935)
Construction of an additional room.
27 mars 2018
Historical Monument
Historical Monument 27 mars 2018 (≈ 2018)
Registration by ministerial decree.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The house located 54 mail François Mitterrand known as the "Novello" house in total (excluding the posterior addition and its terrace) and the garden on street with its fence, set in the cadastre section AE, plot no.70: inscription by order of 27 March 2018.
Key figures
Rodolphe Novello - Entrepreneur and sponsor
Builder and designer of the house.
Yves Le Moine - Architect and draftsman
Author of inner mosaic cartons.
Origin and history
The Novello House, located in Rennes at 54 email François Mitterrand, was built in 1925 by entrepreneur Rodolphe Novello, specialist in cement, mosaic and reinforced concrete. Designed as a showcase of its know-how, it incorporates innovative techniques for the era: reinforced concrete structure, hollow brick filling, and cement coating. Its cubic appearance, marked by a terrace roof and an overflowing cornice, is distinguished by a base imitating granite and walls of "beef shell". The narrow windows, highlighted by ground panels and fibrociment frames surrounded by blue ceramic, as well as canned grey cement planters, animate the facade.
Inside, the spaces are richly decorated with mosaics, including some colourful geometric motifs, notably in the stairwell and bathroom, were designed by the young architect Yves Le Moine, employed by Novello. The house was enlarged in 1929 by an office on the ground floor, then in 1935 by an additional bedroom. The set is lined with a cement fence openworked with geometric patterns, harmonized with the colours of the house. Classified as a Historic Monument in 2018, it illustrates the architectural audacity of the 1920s and the role of local artisans in constructive innovation.
The Novello House embodies a period of architectural transition in Brittany, where modern materials such as reinforced concrete are democratized, carried by visionary entrepreneurs. Its style, combining functionality and decorative aesthetics, reflects the influence of Art Deco and Modernist movements in France. The presence of interior mosaics, often reserved for public or religious buildings, underscores Novello's ambition to democratize art in private housing. The building, now protected, also reflects the increasing urbanization of Rennes in the inter-war period, marked by the emergence of new residential neighbourhoods.
