La Samaritaine

Jean-Baptiste Minnaert

An emblematic Art Deco façade on the Seine side. A new softly undulating glass skin on rue de Rivoli. An aerial structure made entirely of metal and glass. Solar, flowery and colorful interior ornaments. A large canopy, promise of light. A masterpiece of Art Nouveau. After 15 years of work and a major renovation, La Samaritaine is reopening its doors. This 'cathedral of modern commerce' - as Émile Zola likes to put it in the novel Au Bonheur des Dames - is reviving its splendor of yesteryear. The restoration, which includes a new varied program, pays homage to the designs of the Cognacq-Jays and the visions of the architects Frantz Jourdain and Henri Sauvage. Driven by an international team where the know-how of the SANAA, FBAA, SRA Architectes and Maison Édouard François agencies was coupled with the excellence of many craftsmen, the site took place under the watchful eye of the...