Halles Centrales, (Paris, France), 1850-2007, Classical Architecture

Les Halles was a wholesale food market in 12th century Paris, France. In the mid to late 18th century the circular Halle aux Bles (Corn Exchange), designed by Nicolas Le Camus de Mezieres was built. The structure was later made a rotunda with the addition of a dome. The addition of ten pavilions, which created a large scale covered market, was a project commissioned by Emperor Napoleon III. Then newly recognized as Halles Centrales, the project was part of the remodeling of Paris in the mid 1800’s. The original design was for six classical buildings of masonry construction, however Napoleon wanted the project to be larger in scale and constructed in Iron to display Frances industrial power.  The rectangular structures were laid out on a grid, and connected by broad streets all of which except one were covered. Iron columns served two purposes; on the interior, they supported clerestory walls which rose above the eaves of the pavillions, and on the exterior, as downpipes for rainwater. In 1936 two more pavilions were added to the market. Halles Centrales was known as the “belly of Paris” until the 1960’s when the new market economy became too competitive, and the structure was falling into disrepair. In 1971 the structure was demolished except for two pavilions which were disassembled, and reassembled in Nogent-sur-Mame, France, and Yokohama, Japan. Between 1974 and 1978 design ideas were resubmitted annually and squabbled over by politicians on which should be built. In this time the site of the once great Les Halles was used for no more than a parking lot.

Original Design

There was a restructure of the government in 1977 and a new mayor was elected. In 1978, only six months after breaking ground on the new project, the mayor halted all construction which incited public outrage and protest. The small amount of construction was the only the area had seen in recent history. The mayor then proposed an idea for the barren site This brought much debate by politicians and the general public on his moral standings and motives. As a result, an international symposium was held for over 700 design concepts to be presented publicly, but many knew the mayor would not back down from the original design proposition. Driven by political means the original conservative design was given the green light for construction. The site was “reimagined” in 1977 and became the Forum de Halles, an underground metro and regional railroad connection. The project including a shopping centre was completed in 1988 and it’s “Mediocrity” is still widely criticized. A risk was finally taken in 2004 with new plans for a shopping center were introduced, but they were backed by political motives yet again as a project was almost rushed into the site. However, the project was denied because of public outcry, except certain aspects such as a canopy remained and a new competition took place in 2007. A winning design was finally chosen for its actual DESIGN rather than the its political backings. Demolition of the mediocre Forum des Halles began in 2011 and the current structure with its organically inspired 100m canopy is nearly complete.

Bibliography:

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/50cd3652e4b0e1a121803a62/t/51ea5ec4e4b077fcc27a6dd4/1374314180124/2011_RMcCall_LesHalles.pdf

http://www.empiregroup.ga/halles-centrales-central-markets/?i=1

https://www.spectator.co.uk/2016/09/the-rise-and-fall-of-les-halles-centre-of-pariss-demi-monde/

Nouvel, Jean. Paris-Les Halles : Concours 2004. Paris : Moniteur : AMC, 2004., 2004.