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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Building Les Chardons is a report building located in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, at 9 rue Claude-Chahu and 2 rue Eugène-Manuel. Built in 1900 by architect William Klein on his own land, he uses the Hennebique reinforced concrete system, a major technical innovation of the time. His façade, made in 1903 by his son Charles Klein, is a masterpiece of Art Nouveau, entirely covered with flammated ceramic sandstone in yellow and almond green, supplied by the company of Émile Muller. The ironworks, signed by the workshop Dondelinger, complete this decoration inspired by the plates of the painter Eugène Grasset.

The facade, awarded at the Paris City Front Competition in 1903, symbolizes the architectural audacity of the time. The building has been partially listed as historic monuments since 1986, protecting its façade, roofs, vestibule and stairwell with its wrought iron ramp. This building also illustrates the influence of Art Nouveau in Paris, combining technical innovation and floral aesthetics, as evidenced by the plant themes of its ceramics.

The building has also marked popular culture, serving as a decor for films such as Gilles Mimouni's (Apartment (1996)) and Stephen Frears' (Chéri (2009)). These cinematic apparitions highlight its emblematic character, between architectural heritage and timeless urban setting. Its history also reflects the evolution of the 16th arrondissement, a burgeoning bourgeois district at the turn of the 20th century, where architecture becomes a social and aesthetic marker.

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