Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Amiraux building and its swimming pool, located in the 18th arrondissement of Paris between the streets of the Admirals and Hermann-Lachapelle, were designed by architect Henri Sauvage between 1922 and 1927. This project was part of the hygiene movement led by the Société des Habitations à Bon Marché (HBM), aimed at providing safe and affordable housing. Wild re-used his concept of steps, already experienced on Vavin Street in 1913, to provide each apartment with a terrace, despite criticism of the reduction in the number of dwellings. The facades, covered with white tiles provided by the Boulenger establishments of Choisy-le-Roi, reflected this quest for hygiene.

Originally, Sauvage considered a cinema in the central courtyard, but the City of Paris opted for a swimming pool, inaugurated in 1930. The latter, surrounded by cabins on two levels, adopted a system of lockers without lockers, similar to that of the Pontoise pool. Ranked a historic monument in 1991 (façades, roofs and swimming pool), the building was restored on several occasions: in 1982-1983 by architects Daniel and Patrick Rubin for the swimming pool, then between 2004-2005 (ceramical facades and carpentry) and 2015-2017 (complete renovation of the swimming pool as part of the Nager plan in Paris).

The building, built of reinforced concrete, has 7 floors and 78 housing units, with the peculiarity of having cellars located on the 4th and 5th floors. The swimming pool, measuring 33 × 10 meters, is covered with a lantern and remains a municipal equipment open to the public. She also appeared in Jean-Pierre Jeunet's film Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain (2001), strengthening her cultural anchor. The restoration work has systematically sought to preserve its original appearance, while modernizing technical installations, such as the steel structure corroded by moisture.

Henri Sauvage, a major architect of the hygienist movement, collaborated with Charles Sarazin in the Société anonyme de logements sanitaires à pas marché in 1903. Their innovative approach, combining aesthetics, functionality and safety, made the Amirals building a model for 20th century social housing. Today owned by the City of Paris (via Paris Habitat), the site illustrates the evolution of housing policies and public facilities, between architectural heritage and contemporary use.

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