Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Hennebique villa, also known as the Hennebique Tower or Hennebique House, is an iconic building located in Bourg-la-Reine, Hauts-de-Seine. Built between 1901 and 1903 by architect and entrepreneur François Hennebique, it served both as a family residence and as a demonstration of the possibilities of reinforced concrete, a revolutionary material. Its bold architecture, including a 40-metre tower, corbelled terraces and hanging gardens, illustrates the flexibility and resistance of this new material.

Designed as a "family palace", the villa was to house several generations while serving as an advertising showcase for the Hennebique building system. The building combines innovative decorative elements, such as wide bays and projections, with practical functions, such as a water reservoir for greenhouse watering. Transformed into apartments in the 1980s, it nevertheless retains its status as a historical monument, testifying to its importance in the history of architecture.

The Hennebique villa was first listed in the inventory of historical monuments in 1972, before being ranked in 2012. This classification protects the entire villa and its plot, recognizing its pioneering role in the use of reinforced concrete. Today, it remains a notable example of the architectural audacity of the early twentieth century, mixing aesthetic and technical.

Originally, the project also included an annex located at 20 Avenue Victor Hugo, designed to show the simpler and more common application of the same constructive system. This duality between a spectacular building and an ordinary construction was intended to demonstrate the versatility of reinforced concrete, both for ambitious achievements and for common dwellings.

External links