st. jean de montmartre, 19 rue des abbesses, paris, france 1894-1904.
architect: joseph-eugène anatole de baudot, 1834-1915.
structural engineer: paul cottancin, 1865-1920.
the entrance shows one of de baudot's peculiar design decisions in this early concrete building: the few areas of exposed concrete in the facade are almost entirely covered in delicate ceramic decorations by alexandre bigot.
de baudot was a radical, building in concrete before the perret brothers, achieving the most slender proportions, displaying an amazing economy of means. but here was his limit: the concrete could not be shown unembellished, naked.
it must be said in his favour that the decorations detract little from the structural clarity of the building, while adding much in terms of texture and colour.
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