Don't think all buildings in Paris are postcard pretty haussmannian buildings. I know most people associate Paris' architecture with rows and rows of white stone-washed buildings with the blue tiling and the high windows with the iron clad balconies.
But this is a building taken in the 13th arrondissement where I work. Every morning I pass a jungle of mind boggling concrete buildings on my way to the office, each one more bizarre than the next. It's as if the architects tore down this entire part of town with the sole purpose of rebuilding it and giving it a complete anti-Paris atmosphere.
The buildings here are as asimetric as hausmannian buildings are straight and even. They are painted in bold primary colors (canary yellow, turquoise, brown...) while haussmannian buildings stick to their standard white/grey and their sober blue rooftoops. The windows on these buildings are disperesed and uneven while haussmannian's are neatly and perfectly lined for each floor. There is not standarization, no color coordination, no chic parisien....
When you're in this part of town you can't help asking yourself if you're still in Paris.
And then you step on some dog poop in the middle of the sidewalk.
Yep, it's Paris alright.
Fned.
4 comments:
The more I look at that building, the more I like it! Really grows on you, doesn't it!
Minshap: I guess... I haven't yet decided if I like it or not (or any of the others surrounding it), but one thing is for sure. It sure makes for an interesting urban view.
Fned.
I remember arriving from London on the train and seeing all the graffiti and industrial buildings as we pulled in to the Gare du Nord station. I could not imagine that was Paris, but as we went through the city and came closer to the center to our hotel (1st arr) well my spirits lifted! Give me the haussmanian buildings anyday!
Mariella: The same thing happened to me!! When I first arrived in Paris the taxi driving us to the city from the airport passed all these "modern buildings" and sort of "projects" neighborhoods... my first thought was "wait a sec? where are the little streets and quaint buildings???"... And then the taxi arrived at our hostel on the rue Moufftard (I think I blogged about this little street some time ago).... and all my fears were forgotten. It was the Paris of my fantasies all right!!
Fned.
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