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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The telephone exchange of the Rue du Temple, located in the 3rd arrondissement of Paris, is a characteristic realization of the second part of the work of architect François Le Coeur. Built between 1920 and 1925, this building is distinguished by its lack of superfluous decor and its purely functional approach. The facade, divided into three spans curved by four massive pillars, has an innovative treatment of concrete: grooves on the pillars, vermiculated surfaces on the flat parts, and smooth sills on vertical windows. These elements, combined with a cornice to a degree supported by the curved pillars in the upper part, give the building a sober and modern aesthetic for the period.

The entrance, located under a porch with a ceiling painted on cement, is closed by a grid with clean plant motifs, attributed to the Szabo ironmaker. Although the interior has undergone major changes, the façade on the Temple Street has retained its original integrity, illustrating a high purity of lines and a volumetric sobriety typical of industrial constructions of the interwar period. This telephone exchange, now protected under the Historical Monuments (inscription by decree of 12 March 1999 for its façade and terrace), bears witness to the architectural evolution linked to the new communication technologies at the beginning of the twentieth century.

The location of the building, at 106-108 rue du Temple, makes it a significant part of the urban landscape of the Marais, a historic district of Paris. Its stripped style and initial use reflect the functional and aesthetic concerns of the era, where industrialization and the modernization of urban infrastructure played a central role. The protection of its facade underlines its heritage importance, both for its architecture and for its role in the history of telecommunications in France.

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