Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The house and workshop of master glassmaker Louis Barillet, located at 15 square Vergennes in the 15th arrondissement of Paris, was built in 1932 by architect Robert Mallet-Stevens. This iconic Art Deco and Modernism building initially housed Barillet's stained glass production workshops, offices and private apartments. Its architecture, marked by clean volumes and innovative materials such as reinforced concrete, reflects the close collaboration between the architect and the artisan, visible especially in the large window and the vertical window of the north facade.

Originally, Louis Barillet, faced with the rise of his orders in the Entre-deux-guerres, asked Mallet-Stevens for a space adapted to his needs: a large workshop to create large windows, offices and personal accommodation. The workshops, organised on several floors, enjoyed optimal natural light thanks to the north window, while dedicated spaces welcomed archives, a photo lab and cooking ovens. The elevator and reinforced concrete structure facilitated the logistics of monumental creations.

After the death of Louis Barillet in 1948, his son Jean took over, but the workshop was transferred around 1960 to 279 rue de Vaugirard, nearby. The building, classified as a Historic Monument in 1993, experienced a period of decline before being restored in the 2000s by collector Yvon Poullain, who installed a museum there until his death in 2011. Since 2018, it has belonged to Xavier Niel and is home to Matrix, an innovation institute organizing artistic residences and open to the public during Heritage Days.

The building illustrates the alliance between art and industry, characteristic of Art Deco, and bears witness to the importance of stained glass in modern architecture. Its iconic elements, such as the glass window and functional volumes, reflect the creative audacity of Barillet and Mallet-Stevens, also visible in their other collaborations (Villa Cavrois, Villa Noailles). The recent restoration has preserved its authenticity, while offering it a new cultural vocation.

Future

The building houses the Mendjisky-Écoles de Paris Museum, which is designed to preserve, protect and showcase works by artists from the two schools in Paris.

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