Simone de Beauvoir Library, Paris
France
(zigazou76– flickr/creative commons license) Rudy Ricciotti designed the Bibliothèque Simone-de-Beauvoir in the Grammont (cultural) district of Paris, and opened on November 6, 2010. It stands at the terminus of the Passerelle Simone de Beauvoir bridge and is cradled by the …
Palais Garnier Opera House, Paris
France
(Craigyc– flickr/creative commons license) Charles Garnier designed the Opéra de Paris, completed in 1875 at the height of the Second Empire. Napolean III envisioned a temple to the arts as the pinnacle of a modern movement. Baron Haussmann tore down …
Chartres Cathedral, Paris
France
Bishop Fulbert oversaw construction of the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres near Paris, France. Fire destroyed the original church in 1020 A.D. and the Geoffroy de Lèves’s Romanesque basilica in 1134 A.D. When yet another fire destroyed most of the town …
Institut du monde Arabe, Paris
France
(Kent Wang– flickr/creative commons license) Jean Nouvel of Architecture-Studio designed the Arab World Institute between the Jussieu Campus and the Seine, in Paris France. The transition from the river into the Saint-Germain-des-Prés district creates folds in the building’s glazing facades. …
La Médiathèque de La Riche, La Riche France
France
(Sylvain Naudin– flickr/creative commons license) Patrice Vallée designed the La Rich Multimedia Library (Bibliothèques et médiathèques) in La Riche, France. The post-modernist building was completed in 1998, at the place du Maréchal Leclerc – 37520 Riche. The procession invites the …
Passerelle Simone de Beauvoir, Paris
France
(jfgornet– flickr/creative commons license) Feichtinger Architectes designed the Passerelle Simone de Beauvoir pedestrian bridge across the Seine River in Paris. It spans 106m using a “pectinate lenticular” steel truss system, and was completed in 2006. Five paths intertwine on rotational …
Eiffel Tower, Paris France
France
Famed engineer Gustave Eiffel designed this tower as the entrance arch to the 1889 World’s Fair. At 324m (986 ft) it was the tallest structure in the world for 41 years, until it was surpassed by the Chrysler Building. La …
Villa Savoye, Poissy France
France
(Tim Brown Architecture– flickr/creative commons license) Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret designed and built the Villa Savoye residence in 1931. It contains all the points of Corbusier’s ideal modern structure and still stands on the outskirts of Paris. The five …