Haussmanian facade

On the occasion of the 2010 Shanghai World Exhibition, the Armenia pavilion showed the vision of an Armenian architect working in France about how a typical Haussmannian residential block might develop in the twenty-first century.

Haussmannian architecture was born in the second half of the 19th century when whole areas of Paris were cleared of ancient buildings and straight thoroughfares were laid down. These were redeveloped with blocks of middle-class residential buildings in stone. The style subsisted into the 20th century and influenced city planning and architecture throughout France.

AIM Hanemian Architects has taken up the challenge of developing the style further by keeping the nineteen century dimensions and volumes of the roof-lines and skylights and creating a coloured metal skin fitting over the Haussmannian special features (mouldings and cornices, etc.) like a protective cover. These metal outer covers can then be raised – rather like a Parisian lady’s skirt!- revealing the 21th century architecture beneath.