The History Of Les Docks In 1 Minute
The Cité de la Mode et du Design, or ‘Les Docks’ for short, is the nucleus of an urban redevelopment project akin to the Docklands in London or Riverside South in New York. The epic cultural center occupies a converted industrial unit on the left bank of the Seine between the Gare d’Austerlitz and the Gare de Lyon and is a symbol of 21st-century Parisian living.
In 1907, the Port autonome de Paris (PAP) commissioned Georges Morin-Goustiaux to construct a set of quayside warehouses. Eschewing the trend for hiding industrial buildings behind a decorative façade, he chose to leave his reinforced concrete structures (some of the first in the capital) as they stood. His bold architectural decision was admonished and admired in equal measures.
Almost a century later, in 2004, the City of Paris acquired the building from the PAP with the aim of transforming the 12,000-square-meter space, which had for 20 years been a carpet warehouse and examination center, into an architectural feature ‘that would define Paris in the 21st century’ and showcase a creative, urban, and contemporary lifestyle.
Jakob + MacFarlane, a Parisian firm headed by Frenchman Dominique Jakob and New Zealander Brendan MacFarlane, won the tender process with their plan to preserve the original structure while creating a ‘non-standard architectural object.’ At the same time as exposing the building’s skeleton, the architects engineered a new skin for its Seine-facing side, inspired by the perpetual motion of the river itself. The ‘Plug-Over’ was created by digitally modeling a distorted version of the pre-existing framework. The tubular metal structure was covered with a stenciled glass sheath and transplanted onto the building. The roof terrace, which is the largest in Paris, is a mixture of planting and wooden matting and also features a lighting design by artist Yann Kersalé.
Renovations began in 2007, and Les Docks was officially opened to the public in the spring of 2012. As with Morin-Goustiaux’s design, the building created a storm of mixed reactions. Some claimed it ‘re-energize[d] historic Paris’ and others, in mock bemusement, said it was ‘something that must be called architecture.’
Today, Les Docks houses the Institut Français de la Mode, a world-renowned fashion school, Art Ludique – Le Musée, which specializes in comic books, manga, cinema, live animation, and video games, as well as galleries, shops, restaurants, and nightclubs. It is also a popular venue for fashion shows, trade fairs, including Paris Design Week’s ‘Now! Le Off’ section, and conferences.
📅 Open every day, 10:00am to midnight. (Check websites for night club opening times.)
Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.
Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.
Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.
Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.
We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.
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