National furniture

Restoring the clos-couvert
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Built between 1935 and 1936 by Auguste Perret, the Mobilier National is part of a movement to modernize public architecture between the two world wars, marking an important step in the affirmation of reinforced concrete as a noble material. The work, carried out entirely on an occupied site, consisted of restoring the elevations of the main courtyard and entrance pavilions, the canopies with the restoration of the glass block domes (an experimental model of which was corrected in situ), the repair of the pavilion roofs, and the completion of the restoration of the main courtyard. The operation also made it possible to restore the yellow ochre color, applied as a patina to the concrete, while preserving its materiality consisting of gravel and pink sandstone chips. The traces of formwork, aggregates, fillets, and cutting marks remain perfectly visible today.

Paris, 13th district
France
Project owner

OPPIC

Type of operation

Catering

Mission(s)

Complete project management

Restoration of the walls and roof

Diagnostic study conducted in 2015

Surface

_

Amount of work since 2010

€4,700,000 excluding tax

Delivery

2020

Forced to leave the Quai d'Orsay, the Mobilier National moved to part of the former gardens of the Gobelins Manufactory in 1935.

 

Architect Auguste Perret (1874-1954) opted for a unique monument, reminiscent of the U-shaped layout of mansions consisting of a central main building extended by two side wings, forming a courtyard enclosed here by a gate. He proposed a building constructed entirely of reinforced concrete, composed of two frameworks: a main framework supporting the floors and a secondary framework supporting the infill and windows of the facades. This technical organization combines structural modernity with classical monumentality, giving the facades a new expression. Officially inaugurated in 1936, it has been classified as a historic monument since 1965.

Since 2010, the agency has been commissioned by OPPIC to restore the Mobilier National. The first phase of work focused on bringing the electrical installations and fire safety systems up to standard. In 2015, the agency then conducted a preliminary study prior to the restoration of the building's exterior and roof.

 

This study, which involved conducting surveys, provided a better understanding of the layout of the monument's structures, canopies, and roofing. At the same time, tests and analyses carried out in the same year enabled a specific restoration protocol to be developed, aimed at formulating a compatible concrete and restoring the polychromy of the facings, which had been severely altered. The work, carried out entirely on an occupied site, was completed in 2020.

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