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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2009 17:35:17 GMT
I had to hijack an old post of no interest to start this thread in the right chronological order or else it would be the last one on the thread at the date of 18 August 2019. I am lifting a number of posts out of the 'Has Paris Changed?' thread to show how things have been going.
La Samaritaine, the largest department store in Paris, was such an institution that people still talk about it all the time -- and yet it closed for suspicious reasons almost overnight (actually with just 48 hours warning) in 2005. It was announced that the buildings were not structurally sound, even though they have an iron skeleton like the Eiffel Tower. Most of us think it closed because it was old fashioned and was situated at just about the very best commercial location in Paris. It's true that it was in decline -- but so were the other historical department stores at the time. The luxury group LVMH snapped up the piece of real estate, and the buildings sat empty for the next several years with blank depressing show windows.
After a few years, they put up a decorated construction façade to prove that there were plans, sooner or later... And it sat that way for a few more years.
i.postimg.cc/B6v9tFGV/metro_039.jpg
I have to admit that they kept the building clean and never permitted it to be covered with posters or graffiti.
i.postimg.cc/HLz1p2FM/metro_040.jpg
i.postimg.cc/y8qHnWFD/metro_041.jpg
Part of the grandeur of the main building remained visible.
i.postimg.cc/pdRtb7cx/metro_042.jpg
i.postimg.cc/XYw0P38Q/metro_043.jpg
And we waited and waited and waited.
i.postimg.cc/k4hrS5JX/metro_044.jpg
The buildings facing the rue de Rivoli were supposed to be torn down -- all of these buildings, which had been joined together over the years.
i.postimg.cc/wMtCQdM5/metro_045.jpg
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Post by Deleted on Dec 14, 2013 9:53:06 GMT
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Post by bjd on Dec 21, 2013 20:36:03 GMT
I guess there is no chance they will leave those coloured mosaics? Another luxury hotel? Bah -- who needs more of those?
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Post by Deleted on Dec 21, 2013 20:58:35 GMT
The building with the mosaics and the building facing the Seine will remain. I am pretty sure that the 'mosaic' building will turn into a shopping mall.
Unfortunately, the experts continue to say that Paris needs more five-star hotels due to the demand. That's why the Ritz, the Crillon and the Plaza-Athénée are currently closed for upgrades with the Lutétia soon to follow.
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Post by lagatta on Dec 22, 2013 13:40:12 GMT
And of course, we dearly need more shopping malls...
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Post by Deleted on Dec 22, 2013 16:32:13 GMT
Actually, just like in NYC or London, Parisians are often jealous of suburbanites and their access to shopping malls. Since Paris only has the Forum des Halles, Italie 2 and Beaugrenelle that can be called shopping malls inside the city itself, there is obviously room for more. However, it will just be a collection of the same 50 shopping mall stores that one sees everywhere else. But let's face it -- the era of little independent shops is in its death throes, like it or not.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 11, 2017 15:32:59 GMT
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Post by kerouac2 on Aug 22, 2017 6:04:00 GMT
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Post by kerouac2 on Sept 24, 2017 12:14:30 GMT
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Post by fumobici on Sept 24, 2017 15:19:45 GMT
Wow. I hope the beautiful original facades aren't gone forever.
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Post by kerouac2 on Sept 24, 2017 16:07:16 GMT
Not to worry. None of the "nice" buildings have been touched, particularly of course the flagship building facing the Seine, but also the 3 other nice buildings on rue de Rivoli. The one that was torn down was actually a mishmash of buildings cobbled together and while they were not ugly, there was no need to keep them as an example of unique architecture.
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Post by fumobici on Sept 24, 2017 22:56:21 GMT
OK, I thought it was the building right on the river. I guess rue de Rivoli needed a giant shower curtain.
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Post by kerouac2 on Jan 29, 2018 9:01:44 GMT
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Post by bixaorellana on Jan 29, 2018 14:06:58 GMT
It will be really interesting to see the finished product with the translucent sheath in place. Any idea what that will be made of?
It's nifty that the protective panels over the construction work are artistically embellished.
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Post by kerouac2 on Aug 18, 2019 12:29:02 GMT
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Post by lugg on Aug 18, 2019 18:56:13 GMT
I think its hard to see at the moment how it will all tie in together in a cohesive way but maybe its not meant to? I like the rippling glass reflections. The clean up of the art nouveau yellow décor is great and so pleased it was saved. What's the view of those who live in Paris so far K2 ? What is it going to be finally - I guess a mish- mash of offices / shopping maybe apartments?
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Post by kerouac2 on Aug 18, 2019 19:18:32 GMT
There was a major protest movement against the demolitions and the glass façade and all of the legal battles delayed the project for several years. Basically the court case revolved around the fact that anything new is bad and that anything old should be preserved. I agree that it is impossible to imagine what the final result will be on rue de Rivoli until it is finished. Will there be commercial signs on the glass? Will there be lighting effects inside (that is pretty certain because everything has lighting effects these days)? Still probably at least another 18 months until we find out.
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Post by bixaorellana on Aug 19, 2019 1:20:33 GMT
I agree that the way the material reflects neighboring buildings is great, but so far I am not won over. That's mainly because there doesn't seem to be a successful marrying of the old and the new. I suppose that when it's all done and whatever finishing touches are put on to cap off the wavy portion are in place it might all tie together.
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Post by fumobici on Aug 19, 2019 15:42:28 GMT
I find the "shower curtain" facade facing rue de Rivoli pretty hideous, but the old facade was as well anyway.
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Post by kerouac2 on Aug 20, 2019 9:39:27 GMT
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Post by bixaorellana on Aug 20, 2019 14:46:10 GMT
This group of pictures from 2015, along with all your previous photos, really helps to put the renovation in perspective. The last picture in particular shows what must be the inspiration for the wavy new facade.
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Post by kerouac2 on Aug 20, 2019 15:23:48 GMT
It's true that the front of the building has always been wavy in a different style.
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Post by kerouac2 on Sept 19, 2019 16:14:46 GMT
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Post by bixaorellana on Sept 19, 2019 17:00:15 GMT
That waviness with the reflections has really grown on me. I don't think anyone could argue with the "appropriateness" of the last picture.
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Post by kerouac2 on Sept 19, 2019 20:51:08 GMT
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Post by kerouac2 on Sept 23, 2019 7:41:11 GMT
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Post by kerouac2 on Oct 17, 2019 12:06:49 GMT
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Post by htmb on Oct 20, 2019 8:32:21 GMT
That glass looks like a temporary covering to me. I understand that it’s not, but still. I’m not a fan.
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Post by kerouac2 on Nov 19, 2019 17:07:41 GMT
LVMH have announced that La Samaritaine will reopen in April 2020. There will be a luxury department store (DFS) covering 20,000m², the five star Hôtel du Cheval Blanc with 72 rooms facing the Seine, 15,000m² of office space, 97 social housing apartments and a crèche for 80 children.
I won't complain yet. It will have taken 15 years since the original department store closed in 2005 to finally make it this far. The final building permit was not even issued until 2015 due to all of the legal battles. Having the heart of Paris come back to life a little bit is better than nothing.
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Post by lugg on Nov 19, 2019 18:59:47 GMT
It will be interesting to see it ; hopefully you will get chance to up-date K2
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