Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Couteur building, located at 29 rue Jean-de-Beauvais in the 5th arrondissement of Paris, was built during the 3rd quarter of the 20th century. Its settlement plan dates back to 1952, but its construction took place in three distinct phases. The street side was completed in 1956, while an extension on the adjoining building was carried out between 1983 and 1992. This building illustrates the integration of industrialised elements into a traditional structure, with metal panels from the Maxéville workshops, led by Jean Prouvé.

The building is the result of a collaboration between architect Jean Le Couteur, engineer Jean Prouvé and ceramist Jacques Lenoble. It is distinguished by its protected facades and roofs, as well as by its common areas (vestibulum and stairwell), inscribed in the Historical Monuments since 2004. The metal elements, characteristic of the industrialization of the period, make it a rare testimony of Parisian architecture of the 1950s.

Ranked as a Historic Monument, the Couteur building embodies a period of architectural transition where modern techniques combined with more traditional constructive methods. Its inscription in 2004 highlights its heritage importance, especially for its street façades and its preserved interior spaces. Maxéville's workshops, together with Jean Prouvé, played a key role in the supply of metal components, now considered as outstanding industrial remains.

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