Architecture Archives
Archives of Contemporary Architecture
Architecture archives are an essential tool in the writing of the architecture history, as they are in teaching architecture and in stimulating new architectural approaches. Since the 1980s, the state has set out to collect and conserve the archives of architects. Founded by the French Architecture Institute, the Contemporary Architecture Archives Centre has been playing a central role in this enterprise.
Located in the 18th arrondissement of Paris, this archives centre is the single most important architecture archives in France. It holds collections of archives of French architects, urban planners, engineers and decorators active since the late 19th century. Most of the collections are on deposit from the French State (Ministry of Culture); others are on deposit from the Académie d’Architecture or the Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers.
The 400 archival collections in the holdings of the Architecture Archives Centre are representative of the many different periods and styles of 20th-century architecture. Among them are the archives of pioneers of reinforced concrete (Hennebique, Auguste Perret), architects of Art Deco (Louis Bonnier, Henri Sauvage, Jean-Charles Moreux), of Modernism (André Lurçat, Georges-Henri Pingusson), major figures of post-war construction (Georges Candilis, Émile Aillaud, Bernard Zehrfuss, Jean Dubuisson, Guillaume Gillet, Louis Arretche), or of late 20th-century transformations (Adrien Fainsilber, Bernard Huet), and singular figures (Roger Le Flanchec, André Bruyère).
The archives include hundreds of thousands of plans, drawings, photos, models (about 700), written records of projects and countless personal documents (about 7 linear kilometres worth)
The ArchiWebture database offers descriptions of the collections, biographies of architecture and an illustrated inventory of the archives that can be consulted online.
Documents from these archives are regularly presented at the museum and in exhibitions at the Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine. Virtual exhibitions show selections of archival documents along with films, interviews, and présentations.
« La descente aux archives », 1989, Francis Martinuzzi
Panneau de présentation des constructions de l’Entreprise Bétons armés Hennebique à l'Exposition universelle de Gand, 1913
Église Notre-Dame-de-la-Consolation, Le Raincy, 1922-1923, Auguste Perret
Salon de l'Art nouveau pour Siegfried Bing, rue de Provence et rue Chauchat, Paris 9e, 1895, Louis Bonnier
Pavillon Primavera à l’Exposition internationale des Arts Décoratifs Modernes, Paris, 1925, Henri Sauvage
Hôtel particulier pour M. Reichenbach, rue Alfred-Dehodencq, Paris 16e, 1929-1932, Jean-Charles Moreux
Hôtel Latitude 43, Saint-Tropez, 1930-1932, Georges-Henri Pingusson, affiche publicitaire (1932, impr. H. Chachoin)
Études typologiques pour des logements de vacances, 1960-1973, Georges Candilis
Émile Aillaud dans l'agence de la rue Saint Honoré, Paris
Gare routière de Paris-Nord à Aulnay-sous-Bois, 1966-1974, Bernard Zehrfuss et Avon et Rialland
Immeuble d'habitation Maine-Montparnasse, secteur II, rue du Commandant-Mouchotte, Paris 14e, 1959-1964, Jean Dubuisson
Château d'eau de Belmont, Royan, 1959-1960, Guillaume Gillet
Hôtel des postes, Bourg-en-Bresse, 1956-1964, Louis Arretche
Projet de concours pour la Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris 13e, 1989, Bernard Huet, David Bigelman, Marylène Ferrand, Jean-Pierre Feugas, Bernard Le Roy
Maison Quéré, lieu-dit Gwaremm Poul ar Maout, Ploumoguer, 1969-1973, Roger Le Flanchec
Maison Bruyère, Les Eyrascles, Maussane-les-Alpilles, 1969, André Bruyère
Projet de maison enterrée "serpent" en terre stabilisée et sculptée (projets théoriques), 1976-1981, Guy Rottier
Information
Access to the Contemporary Architecture Archive Center is not subject to the presentation of a health pass.
You must wear a mask, with your nose and mouth covered, for the duration of your stay in the archive.
ACCESS AND CONTACT DETAILS
3 boulevard Ney - 75018 Paris
1st floor (level M0 by elevator)
Phone : +33 (0)1 45 85 12 00
Email : centredarchives@citedelarchitecture.fr
OPENING TO THE PUBLIC
The reading room is open by appointment only.
Monday: 1pm-5pm
Tuesday: 9:30am-5pm
Wednesday : 9h30-17h
Thursday: 9:30am-5pm
Friday : closed
Saturday : closed
Sunday: closed
In order to allow for the effective closing of the archive center at 5:00 p.m., the staff will evacuate its spaces starting at 4:45 p.m.
Closures outside of holidays may occur depending on the needs of the service.
CONDITIONS OF ACCESS
The reading room is open by appointment. Reservations can be made by e-mail (centredarchives@citedelarchitecture.fr), by telephone (+33 (0)1 45 85 12 00)
or with the staff in the reading room. Access to the public areas, registration and communication of documents are free.
Please note: The Archives Center only provides remote digital reproductions if the documents are already digitized (consult the Archiwebture database).