Construction of general stores 1907 (≈ 1907)
Warehouses designed by Georges Morin-Goustiaux.
2008
Installation of the French Fashion Institute
Installation of the French Fashion Institute 2008 (≈ 2008)
Building signed Jakob + MacFarlane.
printemps 2012
Open to the public
Open to the public printemps 2012 (≈ 2012)
Inauguration delayed by 4 years.
16 novembre 2013
Opening of Playful Art - The Museum
Opening of Playful Art - The Museum 16 novembre 2013 (≈ 2013)
Museum dedicated to entertainment.
2018
Departure of Playful Art
Departure of Playful Art 2018 (≈ 2018)
End of permanent exhibition.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Key figures
Georges Morin-Goustiaux - Architect
Manufacturer of general stores (1907).
Jakob + MacFarlane - Architects' Office
Authors of the IFM building (2008).
Origin and history
Docks - Cité de la mode et du design occupy the location of the former general stores of the quai d'Austerlitz in Paris. These warehouses, designed by architect Georges Morin-Goustiaux in 1907, were initially used for the storage of goods. Their conversion into a cultural and creative space marks a major transformation of the site, combining industrial heritage and contemporary innovation.
The opening to the public, originally planned for 2008, finally took place in spring 2012. As early as 2008, the French Fashion Institute moved to a building signed Jakob + MacFarlane. The site also hosted, from 2013 to 2018, Playful Art - The Museum, the first European museum dedicated to entertainment arts (cinema, video games, comics).
This project illustrates the rehabilitation of an industrial heritage into a dynamic hub, combining fashion, design and temporary exhibitions. Docks thus symbolize the transformation of urban wastelands into places of culture, while preserving original architecture. Their eclectic programming reflects the evolution of artistic practices and the diversification of Parisian audiences.
