After his participation during the first anniversary of the eba Haussmann showroom, we had the pleasure of interviewing Simon Texier – professor of History of Contemporary Art with a particular penchant for Parisian architecture – again. Author of Paris contemporain (2005) and Paris, panorama de l’architecture, de l’Antiquité à nos jours (2012), Simon Texier talks about the evolution of Parisian buildings and the role of the kitchen in contemporary homes during this interview.
Parisian buildings: very specific codes set in the 19th century
Parisian buildings, recognisable the world over, adhere to their own codes. «Parisian buildings are defined by a set of codes that was gradually developed during the first half of the 19th century, which took shape during the Second Empire. Horizontal division is the main feature, with cornices and continuous balconies on the second and fifth floors. They’re the hallmark of the Parisian landscape, with their zinc roofs on top-floor garrets where the ‘chambres de bonnes’ (maid’s rooms) are found», Simon Texier says.
Likewise, building with stone carvings became the norm in the second half of the 19th century. Once again, this made it different from other European capitals, where it was customary to cover building exteriors to conceal their structure.
More than just buildings, Parisian buildings are the hallmark of an era. «Parisian architecture of the 19th century showcases the success of the bourgeoisie and the overall evolution of society. The floors in Haussmann buildings used to be inhabited by people depending on their social class, which is no longer the case today».
Thus, in the 19th century, the bourgeoisie lived in the lower and more accessible floors while the working-class people lived in the top floors. During this period, the class differences were apparent in the furniture and décor of the homes.
With the advent of the Haussmann building, Paris grew quickly and steadily – which is usually not the case – giving rise to the hallmark of the French capital today: iconic buildings found all over the city in any neighbourhood.
The role of the kitchen in 19th-century buildings
Based on history, the forerunner of what we now call the kitchen came about with the discovery of fire and the possibility of cooking food. Indeed, the fire became the meeting place for the members of the household. The kitchen gradually evolved and occupied different places, depending on the country, people or even social classes.
In Paris, during the Haussmann period, the kitchen was a large space in bourgeois homes. «In Haussmann buildings, the kitchen was found at the back of the apartment, and it was accessed directly through the service staircase. The space was big enough to comfortably work in and store a large number of foodstuffs. In some cases, the larder was separated from the kitchen itself: the former was mainly used for storage while the latter was used for preparation». This enclosed room wasn’t a priority in the home, largely due to the high risk of fire.
Furthermore, most of the population didn’t have access to a proper kitchen aside from bourgeois homes, which represented a minority of the inhabitants of the French capital. It wasn’t until the 20th century until the kitchen as we know it today was democratised.
The evolution of kitchens: modern kitchens
«The distance between the kitchen and dining room was something that architects began to consider around 1900. They tried to bring these two spaces closer together by placing the dining room on the right. The kitchen was moved closer to the daytime living areas, near the entrance. In many homes, especially in popular areas, the kitchen became a ‘living zone’, symbolising progress. The major change involved the transformation of the kitchen into a laboratory with its modern equipment (fridge, ovens, storage area, etc) ».
With the Industrial Revolution, the first fitted kitchens were born. Invented by an Austrian architect less than a century ago, they were designed to simplify household tasks and optimise space. Over the years, the kitchen has continued to evolve in terms of both style and layout.
Contemporary kitchens and Haussmann building conservation
In Paris, eba currently works with Haussmann-style spaces. They’re extremely versatile, particularly because the kitchen is found in the centre of the home, thus creating an actual living zone from the existing one.
Nowadays, the kitchen is the heart of the home, even more so than the living room. «They’re spaces with amazing potential for architects in charge of renovating old apartments», Simon Texier explains.
The greatest challenge in designing a kitchen in a Haussmann building lies in keeping the architecture of the period intact. «It’s difficult to keep exactly the same elements of a 19th-century kitchen intact, because our lifestyles have changed completely. Tiled flooring can be an interesting heritage feature. Beyond the memory and history of our cities, old buildings hold valuable knowledge for the current period of energy transition. Parisian buildings are quite spatially modular, aside from having great thermal and acoustic properties. Their aesthetic qualities are undeniable, and it would be simply unthinkable to destroy the architecture that defines the very identity of Paris and its boulevards».
Kitchens that are open and laid out around appliances
In the 1970s, more and more homes were kitted out with appliances. Bulky and still poorly optimised, these appliances were concealed in enclosed kitchens, under the worktop or behind fronts.
Afterwards, in the 1980s and the 1990s, technological breakthroughs made it possible to better control the noise, odours and fumes emanating from different appliances. They also became less bulky, more functional and more attractive. The kitchen was opened up and became the hub for interaction in the home in lieu of the dining room.
With this look to the past but with an eye to the future, eba makes every effort to bring this ease of interaction into kitchens while respecting the history of buildings. «For me, the keywords for renovating Haussmann kitchens are simplicity and pared-back style. The kitchen should also be cosy. The kitchens designed by eba possess all these qualities and give the room a homey feel and the comfort sought nowadays. The materials and colours used by eba are in harmony with the Parisian colour palette», Simon Texier concludes.
