Beginning on October 16th, 2012, Galeries Lafayette in Paris, France, will be celebrating the 100 year anniversary of the Dome designed by architect Ferdinand Chanut and glass artist Jacques Gruber in 1912. 100 years under the Dome will be held at the flagship store of the boulevard Haussmann, a true Parisian symbol. In addition, the gallery will launch an exhibition called 1912-2012. Chronicles of a Creative Itinerary by architect Rem Koolhaas and his studio OMA, along with a collaboration called Chrysalide between visual artist Yann Kersalé and Djuric Tardio – Architectes.
Join us after the break for more stunning images for the anticipated celebration.
OMA, with its research unit AMO, have put together an exhibit that features artifacts and images from the archives of Galeries Lafayette. The exhibit is structured as a narration, piecing together the story of legendary department store and its dome over the last hundred years.
Yann Kersalé’s design is a result of a collaboration with Djuric Tardio – Architectes. Chrysalide is a luminous creation designed specifically for the facade of the store. It is designed to change according to the seasons, transitioning throughout the year. The artist has designed an addition work that will become a permanent installation in the dome. Once lit up, the original luster of the balconies built by Louis Majorelle will be renovated by using 21st century technologies, adding a sense of majesty and wonder to the monument.
The original design by Chanut redefined the conception of space, bringing the ceiling high above the patrons of the store and filling the central hall with balconies that created a theater-like space at the very center. The design is technical feat both for its use materials and its scale.
The Dome is 43 meters high, made with metal and glass and capped with a metal lantern. The Galeries Lafayette is also the first store to be built entirely out of concrete, a building material met with reluctance at the time. Using concrete allowed the architect to embrace sinusoidal shapes and curves. The building also features decorative arts made of iron, concrete and glass.
The exhibitions will conclude on January 26, 2013. Find more information here.
