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You're not a student, but you'd like to discover the Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris (14th arrondissement) and its buildings, some of which are listed as historic monuments? We've selected five houses that are a must-see. Or how to travel without leaving the capital!
Good to know
The park of the Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris is open to the public for walks: ideal for admiring the houses from the outside! However, the interior of the houses, which are student accommodation, is not open to the public.
Guided tours are organized on Sundays by the heritage center, with themed itineraries. Reservations are required. Contact by email[visites puis ciup.fr après le signe @] is possible.
The House of Japan
The first stone of the House of Japan was laid in 1927.
Crédit photo :
Clément Dorval / Ville de Paris
The House of Japan was funded by a donation from Jirohachi Satsuma, grandson of a wealthy Japanese spinning merchant.
Crédit photo :
Clément Dorval / Ville de Paris
The interior features paintings by the famous painter Tsuguharu Foujita. Here is the entrance hall.
Crédit photo :
Clément Dorval / Ville de Paris
And there, in the large living room, is another painting by Tsuguharu Foujita. Also noteworthy is the engraved glass frieze by artist Henri-Édouard Navarre.
Crédit photo :
Clément Dorval / Ville de Paris
The first Orientalist building in the Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris (CIUP), the Maison du Japon offers a simplified and modern interpretation of the Japanese castle.
The building is divided into blocks of different heights, with superimposed roofs and various orientations, featuring very prominent front sections, such as irimoya roofs. The building is divided into blocks of different heights,
with superimposed roofs facing in different directions and
prominent projections, such as irimoya roofs ( hipped roofs) that highlight each level of
Japanese towers.
The gray-mauve color and grid pattern of the panels created by the concrete framework are reminiscent of Japanese wooden roof structures. The roofs are covered with northern purlins, brown tiles that are shaped like Japanese tiles.
The entrance porch is decorated with a carved wooden panel depicting the rising sun. It was created by Henri-Édouard Navarre, a French sculptor, medalist, and glassmaker. You can also admire his magnificent engraved glass frieze inside the house.
Good to know
In the lobby and the large lounge, visitors can admire two magnificent murals by the famous painter Tsuguharu Foujita: The Arrival of Westerners in Japan and Horses (accessible only during guided tours organized by the CIUP).
The Southeast Asian Student House
Look up to admire the magnificent mosaic dragon at the top of the facade of the Southeast Asian Student House.
Crédit photo :
Clément Dorval / Ville de Paris
Formerly known as the Indochina House, the Southeast Asian Students' House was established in the context of France's colonial policy in Asia in the early 20th century.
Crédit photo :
Clément Dorval / Ville de Paris
This staircase with posts is inspired by the one in the Imperial Palace in Hué (Vietnam).
Crédit photo :
Clément Dorval / Ville de Paris
The large lounge in the Southeast Asian student residence is inspired by Annamite temples and palaces.
Crédit photo :
Clément Dorval / Ville de Paris
In 1930, the Maison d'Indochine opened its doors. It was created on the initiative of a committee composed of French industrialists based in Southeast Asia and with the support of the State. In January 1972, the building became the home of students from Southeast Asia.
The building offers a blend of influences, with
decorative elements inspired by Annamite (Vietnamese) culture integrated into a Western-style
volume and composition. Large awnings extend the roofs at the corners, which are raised in a
"dove's beak" style. A dragon in bas-relief and mosaic can be seen on the façade.
A garden occupies the central part of the building, and the interior architecture combines a European layout with a large living room inspired by Annamite temples (accessible only during guided tours organized by the CIUP).
Good to know
Since 2008, rooms have been reserved primarily for students from ParisTech, which contributed financially to the renovation of the house in 2007 and 2008.
The Dutch College
The Dutch College, inaugurated in 1938, is the work of architect Willem Marinus Dudok.
Crédit photo :
Clement Dorval / Ville de Paris
The variety of window formats meets the lighting needs of different spaces.
Crédit photo :
Clément Dorval / Ville de Paris
It is impossible to distinguish between the main façade and the secondary façade. Each side offers a different view to contemplate.
Crédit photo :
Clément Dorval / Ville de Paris
Here, there is no monumental entrance door like on other, more traditional buildings.
Crédit photo :
Clément Dorval / Ville de Paris
Next to the Southeast Asian student residence, the sheer size and tower of this building will strike you at first glance. You are looking at a jewel of modern architecture! In this ensemble of different shapes, interlocked with one another, you will notice the abandonment of symmetry, the simplicity
of the volumes, and the multiplication of roof terraces in the avant-garde style
of the De Stijl movement.
Its tower forms a pivot around which the building is organized. The windows with metal latticework are inspired by the architecture of Dutch houses.
Good to know
It is the only building in France designed by architect Willem Marinus Dudok, one of the most prominent architects of the Dutch school, active between the two world wars. The building was listed as a historic monument in 2005.
The House of Mexico
Outside, a stone mural commemorates the discovery of Mayan paintings at the Bonampak archaeological site.
Crédit photo :
Clément Dorval / Ville de Paris
In 2006, the Mexican Embassy acquired a replica of the "Sun Stone," an Aztec calendar measuring 3.60 meters in diameter that was discovered in Mexico City's central square in 1790.
Crédit photo :
Clément Dorval / Ville de Paris
Its resolutely modern architecture sets it apart from the houses surrounding it.
Crédit photo :
Clément Dorval / Ville de Paris
Designed by two brothers, architects Jorge L. and Roberto E. Medellin, the Mexican Pavilion was inaugurated on October 8, 1953.
Crédit photo :
Clément Dorval / Ville de Paris
The Mexican House, with its resolutely modern architecture, stands out from the houses surrounding it. It was designed by two brothers, architects Jorge L. and Roberto E. Medellin, and was inaugurated in 1953.
Outside, a stone mural commemorates the discovery of Mayan paintings at the Bonampak archaeological site. By taking one of the CIUP's guided tours, visitors can enter the house and discover furniture designed by Charlotte Perriand and Jean Prouvé, famous architects and designers ofthe 20th century. Of particular note is the "Mexique" bookcase, one of the French designer's most iconic pieces of furniture.
In the inner courtyard, visitors can admire a replica of the "Sun Stone," an Aztec calendar measuring 3.60 meters in diameter, discovered in Mexico City's central square in 1790.
Good to know
In the inner courtyard, a plaque explains that students confined during the COVID-19 health crisis buried a time capsule containing accounts of their experiences. It is stipulated that this capsule should only be unearthed on October 8, 2053, for the house's centenary.
The House of Egypt
As part of efforts to strengthen academic cooperation between France and Egypt, the creation of a Maison de l'Égypte (House of Egypt) was announced in 2017. It will be inaugurated in 2023.
Crédit photo :
Clément Dorval / Ville de Paris
An indoor garden, adorned with Egyptian vegetation, interacts with the outdoor garden.
Crédit photo :
Clément Dorval / Ville de Paris
The Egyptian texts engraved on the façade were selected from ancient texts dealing with the quest for knowledge.
Crédit photo :
Clément Dorval / Ville de Paris
It is the last house to be inaugurated at the CIUP, even though a construction project had already been discussed in the 1930s. In 1951, there was even talk of building a pyramid-shaped house. Construction will finally begin in 2021. Entirely financed by Egypt, it is designed by the agencies Sam Architecture and Dar Arafa Architecture.
The concrete façade is in keeping with the mineral spirit of Egyptian buildings. Its volume is also traditional, like a huge block of stone, the material of choice in Egyptian architecture.
The concrete façade protects the building on one side and transforms into a glass façade on the east side. The latter creates visual continuity between the heart of the building and the small garden, allowing maximum natural light to enter.
Good to know
The central theme of the project is nature, both through the preservation of the purple beech tree outside and the creation of an Egyptian-inspired garden upstairs.
In photos, other houses not to be missed!
Inaugurated in 1925, the Deutsch de la Meurthe Foundation was the very first residence of the Cité Internationale Universitaire (14th arrondissement).
Crédit photo :
Clément Dorval / Ville de Paris
This incredible building is practically sitting on the ring road. A sublime evocation of Tunisian culture, it is the Habib Bourguiba Pavilion, opened in 2020 and the second pavilion of the House of Tunisia.
Crédit photo :
Jean-Baptiste Gurliat / Ville de Paris
The architecture of the Rosa Abreu Foundation in Grancher is inspired by Spanish colonial style, particularly Havana Cathedral and the palaces of the Spanish governors in Cuba.
Crédit photo :
Clément Dorval / Ville de Paris
With the Maison des Provinces de France, its designer, Armand Guéritte, created a building resembling a brick castle, crowned with 36 coats of arms representing the former provinces of France.
Crédit photo :
Clément Dorval / Ville de Paris
The Danish Foundation is one of the smallest residences in the Cité internationale universitaire (14th arrondissement), with 48 rooms.
Crédit photo :
Clément Dorval / Ville de Paris
Learn more
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The website for the centenary of the Cité internationale universitaire (14th arrondissement) www.centenaire.ciup.fr
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6 things you (maybe) didn't know about the Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris
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What is it like… living at the Cité internationale universitaire? Answers from residents!
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History of a global city
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