Fondation Pathé

Fondation Pathé

“The Fondation Pathé has an extraordinary patrimony in terms of richness and variety: it brings together and preserves various collections: the catalogue of silent films, film equipment, millions of photographs, posters, scripts and films. The primary function is to preserve, guard and protect this heritage. What was needed was a place that could guarantee its longevity. A vault housed within an enclosure. But we knew that it also had to be a suitable and pleasant space for the people working at the Fondation Pathé. We thought that while the archives needed protection and shelter, it would be nice to bring people out, to let them emerge above the rooftops. This is where the particular charm and magic of Parisian roofs comes into play: they are not very high, but they are articulated in a unique landscape of mansards, skylights, dormers and chimneys, with the unique silvery colour of zinc. We then began to think about these two seemingly opposing ideas: a closed and secure vault for the archives and an open and bright space for work and consultation”.

With these words, Renzo Piano, in the exclusive interview contained in this volume, tells the story of the birth, exactly ten years ago, of the Fondation Jérôme Seydoux-Pathé. The building is located in Paris, in the XIII arrondissement, just a stone’s throw from Place d’Italie. In the past it was the site of the Théâtre des Gobelins, then of the famous Cinema Rodin, then again a multi-screen cinema decommissioned in 2003. The building is enclosed within a transparent skin of glass and steel, which allows for a surprising and natural illumination, while at night it resembles a light luminous apparition. The architecture houses numerous exhibition spaces for permanent and temporary collections, a 70-seat screening room and an office space located on the attic. For its historical and artistic value, the existing façade was preserved and restored, which houses two early sculptures by Auguste Rodin.

The book represents a travel notebook that accompanies the reader in every phase of that extraordinary adventure that is the profession of designing and constructing buildings.

Credits

Technical Information

Closed size:
28x28 cm

Description:
120 pages, printed in 4 colors + paint
Cover with double inside flap. 

Languages:
French/English/Italian

ISBN code: 978-88-6264-023-7

Volume edited by

Lia Piano

Conception and development

Lia Piano, Elena Spadavecchia, Giovanna Langasco

With the participation of

Renzo Piano Building Workshop:
Thorsten Shalmann
and
Alex Pachaudi
and
Antonio Porcile
Alix Tranchard
Linda Zunino

Fondazione Renzo Piano:
Chiara Bennati
Nicoletta Durante
Celeste Piano

Graphic design

Renzo Piano Building Workshop
Fondazione Renzo Piano

Translation

Lia Piano
Alix Tranchard
Worldbridge Srl – Milano

Print

Grafiche Antiga

Publisher

Renzo Piano Foundation

Edition

2024