The historic La Samaritaine department store has reopened in Paris with a new undulating glass facade following an extensive renovation led by Pritzker Prize-winning studio SANAA.
Commissioned by the owners, French luxury goods company LVMH, the overhaul transformed the store on the banks of the River Seine following its closure in 2005 over safety concerns.
SANAA's design involved the restoration of many original art nouveau and art deco details, alongside a remodel and refurbishment of the buildings to bring them to modern-day standards.
Above: La Samaritaine has reopened in Paris. Top image: it has a new glass facade by SANAA
"I am both delighted and proud to see La Samaritaine, a true institution to which Parisians have always been deeply attached, restored to its magnificent beauty and iconic stature," said LVMH chairman Bernard Arnault. "The long history of La Samaritaine has been shaped by bold vision, prosperity and a sense of solidarity. With this new chapter, the story will now continue long into the future."
The glass facade marks one of the entrances
La Samaritaine was established by Ernest and Marie-Louise Cognacq-Jay? in 1870. It comprises an ensemble of decorative buildings designed by architects Frantz Jourdain and Henri Sauvage.
Today, it is a mixed-used complex that contains 20,000 square metres of retail space over three floors, alongside a nursery, 96 social housing units and 15,000 square meters of office space.
The undulating curtai...