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Origin and history

The Temple substation, located at 36 rue Jacques-Louvel-Tessier in the 10th arrondissement of Paris, was built in 1908 by architect Paul Friesé for the Paris Electricity Distribution Company. This brick building, inspired by the substations of the Paris metro of the same period, housed a transformer converting the high voltage AC current into low voltage DC current. Its neo-Gothic architecture, marked by a glass façade embedded in a silicon-calcar brick masonry, reflects the industrial and aesthetic needs of the era.

In 1912, the building was raised by Paul Friesé to meet increased technical needs. Until the middle of the 20th century, its interior housed a engine room equipped with four switches, essential to power the Parisian electricity grid. Disused after this period, the substation was listed as historical monuments in 1992 for its role in the history of urban electrification. Today, it hosts an accommodation centre run by Emmaus Solidarité, while maintaining its protected facade.

The Temple substation is part of a series of similar constructions for the Paris Electric Company or the Metro, such as the Auteuil, Bastille or Opéra substations. These infrastructures, often designed by Paul Friesé, illustrated the alliance between technical innovation and architectural integration in the urban landscape. Their gradual decommissioning has paved the way for various conversions, while preserving their industrial heritage. The Temple substation, with its history linked to the Empain-Schneider group, thus bears witness to the evolution of energy networks and their material heritage.

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