Les Echelles du Baroque – Contemporay architecture
The Echelles du Baroque are the work of the Spanish architect Ricardo Bofill.
They frame the Place de Catalogne, whose curve they follow, and are a remarkable example of contemporary architecture.
Built in the 1980s, these buildings offer 274 luxury apartments spread over seven floors, some with high-end establishments on their ground floors. Their concave design is unique, and the north facade is decorated with imposing Doric columns.
Drawing inspiration from Italian Baroque architecture, Bofill wanted to infuse the whole project with warmth, thus creating two small Italian-style squares: Place de l’Amphithéâtre and Place de Seoul.
The Echelles du Baroque thus consist of two groups of buildings, separated by the Rue Vercingétorix.
This street begins under a large portico lined with imposing Doric columns, then leads to the Place Slimane Azem, to the Notre-Dame-du-Travail Church and continues along the railway line of the Montparnasse metro station.
Place de l’Amphithéâtre
The Place de l’Amphithéâtre, the landscaped courtyard of the building on the northwest side, is prohibited to the public.
But you can glimpse it through its gates!
Initially rectangular, the garden gradually takes on a convex shape to follow the contours of the building, similarly to an amphitheatre, hence its name.
The interior facade of the building is identical to the one facing the Place de Catalogne, ensuring architectural consistency throughout.
Place de Séoul
The Place de Séoul is 75 metres long and 50 metres wide and is located in the heart of the southeast building.
This courtyard garden serves as both a public thoroughfare and a public garden.
It is overlooked by the wide bays punctuated by glass columns of this second curved building. This facade is known as the Les Colonnes.
Although the Place de Catalogne and the Echelles du Baroque are not must-sees for travellers discovering Paris for the first time, they are worth visiting if you are in the area. They will indeed allow you to discover Parisian architecture and urban planning from the late 20th century.
Directions: 14th district
Metro: Pernéty or Gaîté on Line 13
Coordinates: Lat 48.836432 – Long 2.317509
