Luxury department store in Paris La Samaritaine shines in new splendor

Status: 23.06.2021 2:09 p.m.

It is one of the most famous shopping addresses in the world: La Samaritaine in Paris. The legendary department store was lavishly renovated for 16 years. Today it opened its doors again.

From Stefanie Markert, ARD studio Paris

“O lala!” – Emmanuel Macron is visibly impressed by the sight: Gustave Eiffel’s gray-blue iron staircase spanning five floors with 16,000 gold leaves has been originally restored. Many of the 1700 employees of the department store stand on the landing and applaud the president. He accepted Bernard Arnault’s invitation. The billionaire and boss of the luxury goods company LVMH owns the Samaritaine. He renovated the building complex for 750 million euros and is now attracting customers: “Perhaps you can also shop on the Internet. But there you can’t touch the products, you can’t see them, and you can’t have lunch in such a wonderful atmosphere.”

A water pump as namesake

In the Samaritaine, this is most spectacularly done in the “Voyage” restaurant under the historic glass dome, surrounded by a 115-meter-long peacock frieze in Art Nouveau style. But actually shopping is hip here, emphasizes Head of Marketing Nathalie Montaldier: “You are on the fourth floor – all women’s shoes, from sneakers to luxury. The special thing: when you try them on you have a fantastic view of the Gothic cathedral Saint-Germain-L’Auxerrois . A unique experience.” In 1870 Ernest Cognacq founded the Samaritaine. Before that he had sold fabrics on the bridge next door – the famous Pont Neuf -, then rented a corner café and expanded his business little by little. At that time the first Parisian water pump stood on the Pont Neuf, and it was called “la Samaritaine” – the Samaritan woman. The pump gave the store its name. Today, historical commercials flicker there on old TVs:

Monsieur wants something?

Yes, nails.

We dont have.

An alligator clip.

Neither clamp nor crocodile.

Haven’t you read the name of our store?

No.

This is not the Samaritaine.

Ah, I see – you can find everything in the Samaritaine.

In the Parisian luxury department store you will find one thing above all: French “savoir vivre”. Image: Stefanie Markert / ARD-Studio Paris

A hymn to Paris

The house no longer lives up to this claim, says manager Eleonore de Boysson, but: “You can find all of Paris in the Samaritaine. Its brands and artists. It’s like a promenade with surprises. A visit should trigger a new Parisian feeling.” And convey the French way of life. The house bakes its own croissants, personalizes champagne bottles and sells cosmetics from collapsible crates that resemble those of the bouquinists in front of the door. Mosaics are reminiscent of the Parisian passages and yellow lanterns of the street lighting in the past. Parisian flair en passant.

The luxury department store is a hymn to the city. It offers the largest beauty department in the European Union – 600 brands and products from three-euro hand gel to perfume in a giant crystal bottle for 150,000 euros. Up to five million customers are expected each year. Parisians, French and of course tourists. On the lower floor, the head of marketing points to a long rolling carpet like at the airport: “There was direct access from the parking lot to the department store. We have redesigned this tunnel. This is where the bus tourists will arrive.”

The complex includes a luxury hotel with a 1000 square meter suite. Even the smallest room there costs 1500 euros per night. But there is also a day nursery and almost 100 social housing. Samaritaine General Director Jean Jacques Guiony explains: “That is the law. When building, around 25 percent of the area has to be reserved for social housing. We were free to move it inside in the Rue de Rivoli building.” The tenants look out over a green, roofed courtyard with the department store’s wellness oasis. The Samaritaine is open 364 days a year. It is only closed on May 1st

The deteriorated condition of the house The renovation process is recorded by the design team The request of the owner for the architect team is to design a building with a comfortable living space full of sunshine and wind, while retaining part of the current state to optimize the cost as possible. After the renovation, the first impression is the facade with a combination of rustic ceiling tiles and white wind cotton tiles. The old wall panels combined with the new wall not only have the effect of dividing and separating blocks, but also create a harmonious contrast between the “old-new” language for the facade of the building. Level 4 house completely “makeover” after renovation, the façade stands out with the combination of white wind cotton brick wall and rough ceiling brick. The wind-cement brick facade has both the effect of blocking the hot sun and effective air conditioning inside and out Looking at the overall plan, 2 level 4 houses are located on the right, on the left is a row of hostels with 7 rooms, in the middle is the aisle and corridor. The architect used the trick of merging functional blocks on the ground, 2 level 4 houses with an area just enough to convert into a common living space including the living room outside, the kitchen – dining inside. A row of small 7-room motels converted into spaces for 3 bedrooms. The architect also used the technique of merging blocks on the vertical wall of the wall, the old wall panels kept with a lower height than the new design of the house will be built to make up for the shortfall. Along with the newly added wall panels, the architect team also demolished some old wall panels to unify the functional blocks. The team of architects decided to keep the bare bare walls from the current state of the work, in order to optimize the renovation cost for the owner. The combination of “old-new” walls brings many emotions to family members. The west sun can’t shine directly into the house thanks to the wind cotton brick wall, and at the same time creates very beautiful sun shades Spacious lobby, connecting the public and private spaces of the building The corridor area spends a part of the area to plant bonsai under the skylight and design the tea table The open-air well brings fresh air and sunlight into the house The main living room of the house still uses the old table and chairs. This space is filled with light thanks to the glass doors in the main door and windows Construction site drawing Drawing of elevation and section of the building Level 4 house in Soc Son is a reasonable renovation model, both aesthetic and functional, but not too expensive in terms of costs when the architect team cleverly takes advantage of old walls and furniture. The “revival” of the house has stuck with the family for many years, bringing different levels of emotions to family members.

Suzhou Bay is located between Wuzhong and Wujiang District in Suzhou. It is surrounded by the beautiful scenery of Taihu Lake. The modern city name card of Suzhou Bay, “Taihu New City”, which is mainly created by the local area, is gradually taking shape. This is not only an eco-tourism resort integrating tourism, sightseeing, sports and leisure, but also a highly concentrated antique block of pocket town. This is Shengjiashe Old Street, which has a history of nearly a thousand years, carries the memory of Wujiang, and has witnessed the rise and fall of Wujiang. Despite the passage of time and the changing times, the charm of the old street has not disappeared. Now it has been completely renovated and repaired as before, maintaining the typical Jiangnan water town style with white walls, black tiles and river streets adjacent to it. Shengjiashe (she), also known as Shengjiashe, is located on the south side of Wujiang Old Town. “She” and “she” both mean villages. In Jiangnan history, there are many villages called she or she. There are mainly families surnamed Sheng. As early as the Hongzhi and Zhengde reigns of the Ming Dynasty, the priest Shengcan returned to the countryside from officialdom and settled on the banks of the Wusong River in Wujiang. Later, the descendants of the Sheng family lived here for generations, hence the name. Tracing back to history, the old streets of Shengjiashe have accumulated a thousand years of cultural heritage. Although there are no such old streets as Wuzhen and Xitang, this is an antique street in Wujiang City that fully retains the historical features of the late Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China. It still maintains the parallel river and street. The historical pattern and the architectural style of Zhenshui Renjia. In the old days, Shengjiashe was the most prosperous area in the Wujiang area. On the old streets and along the river, merchants gathered and the event was extraordinary. There were various teahouses, pharmacies, and department stores. There were many famous and time-honored shops in the area, and all businesses were flourishing. Nowadays, after upgrading and reconstruction by the local government, the old is restored. Strolling in the old district of Shengjiashe, there are many shops and houses in the same style. Visitors can encounter the strong traditional Jiangnan style, pavilions, small bridges and flowing water, silk cheongsam…it makes people feel like walking into the old days. Coming to Shengjiashe Old Street, walking in the quaint Jiangnan ancient street, visitors can browse various specialty shops, buy silk products and cheongsam, etc., or check in various simple and fresh, with great Jiangnan cultural charm. Scenery, leaving beautiful photos. There are not many tourists in Shengjiashe Old Street, and the environment is quiet and quiet. It is very suitable for walking slowly and exploring various good stores. In a small alley of Shengjiashe Old Street, there is a “treasure bookstore” hidden in Shima Bookstore. It is not so much a bookstore, but it is more of a public cultural space. It is full of strong cultural atmosphere. The roof is Words and calligraphy in various fonts, books with fragrance of ink are on the shelves, and there will be salons, reading clubs, lectures and other cultural activities here. People can’t help but “keep your heart and stop here” and let your soul immerse yourself in reading. In between, apart from impetuousness, enjoy peace of mind. There is also a very special place in Laojie called “Jade Space”. This is a special cultural space integrating theater, inn, coffee break, and restaurant. Its founder is Li Yugang. He perfectly combines art and life, walks into the space, one step at a time, and full of Zen. The whole space is based on the combination of “heartlessness” and renunciation. It is antique, with elegant artistic conception, and the design and furnishings are extremely exquisite. The piano, chess, calligraphy, poetry, wine and tea are all uniquely interpreted and presented here, full of Chinese style quality Life is refreshing. In particular, tasting an exquisite Chinese delicacy here is a double enjoyment of vision and taste. [Original works, reprinting is prohibited, infringement must be investigated]Please pay attention to me and share more exciting trips with you

Reportedly, the old building was remodeled into short-term resort apartments to attract nature-loving tourists in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City. To make a difference for the building, the architects had to find a way to break down the rough lines of the previous concrete facade, turning them into a green oasis in the crowded city with winding lines. soft. At the same time, instead of expanding the built area of ​​the previous work, the architects decided to keep the large void of the site, respecting most of the existing plants and creating space for many people. more stuff. Structural columns and beams were left in place, while all unnecessary elements were removed to create more space for daylight, greenery and natural ventilation. The undersides of the balconies are lined with wood, which adds a natural look to the building. Lush vines descend from the building’s undulating balconies, creating a green façade that brings in fresh air and relaxation. The balconies overlook the pool on the ground floor and have the same curves as the building’s exterior, where guests can soak in the tranquil surroundings. At night, the lights cast shadows on the upper balconies. A curved path leads guests through the lush courtyard and into the lobby, where large curtain walls blur the line between inside and outside. Onion designed lighting system is installed on the concrete floor and on the ceiling, guiding guests to their private apartments. Inside the apartments, the architects have clad the rooms with traditional, eco-friendly materials such as rattan, wood and local stone. In the bedroom, there is a transparent sliding glass door design so that guests can enjoy the green balcony. Furniture in the room is mainly made of wood to create a friendly and cozy feeling.

The Cathedral of Hanoi, or St. Joseph Cathedral, was designed in the European Gothic style, influenced by the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris (France). The main building materials are terracotta bricks, terracotta roof tiles, walls plastered with mache. The church has a length of 64.5m, a width of 20.5m and two bell towers 31.5m high. The building has an opposite facade layout, divided into 3 parts. Two sides are two soaring bell towers, in the middle is a lower block that is terminated by a triangular wall top with a crucifix forming the highlight. Most of the doors and windows on the main façade use the typical Gothic arched form. Particularly in the middle part there is a round flower-shaped window, above and below the cross there is a round clock face. According to the percentile and the door system on the façade, the two bell tower blocks on both sides are 5 floors high and the middle block is 3 floors high. The window and door decorations on the façade are in the form of Gothique but are moderate, not too fussy or cumbersome. Over 100 years with the vicissitudes of time and war, the Cathedral still exists and is a center of Catholic activity in the capital and surrounding areas. Currently, the Cathedral is being renovated and repainted. Most of the renovation work has been completed, the walls inside and behind the Cathedral have been repainted. As for the facade of the work, currently scaffolding and safety nets are being erected for the workers to work. In general, the building has the European Gothic style, but has a combination with indigenous architecture, reflected in the terracotta tile roof system, the interior decoration system with bold Vietnamese traditions. And therefore, it is a product of the very unique East-West cultural exchange. The work is considered a typical church architecture, and is one of the most beautiful Catholic churches in Hanoi and the whole country. The Cathedral is also a work marking a special stage of urban development of Hanoi and is a typical architecture of the capital. The inner wall of the Cathedral has been repainted with a new color, bringing the main gray tone. Originally, the church was named “Saint Joseph Cathedral” (Saint Joseph is the adoptive father of Jesus). Currently, the project is located at 40 Nha Chung Street, Hanoi, adjacent to the Archbishop of Hanoi and many other Catholic institutions. The two church bell towers have a set of bells consisting of 5 bells, with 1 large bell and 4 small ones, which are connected to the clock to tell the time. In front of the church, there is a small square with a statue of Our Lady, which adds to the landscape value of the building. The new church building on the old pagoda was built by the Catholic Church with bricks to replace the old wooden architecture, between 1884-1886, in the context of Hanoi’s transformation into a new western-style urban area. West. The building was inaugurated at Christmas 1887.