Pagoda Paris

The building in front of you stands out in the heart of the eighth arrondissement with its vibrant red exterior and curved roofline, looking entirely alien among the surrounding classic stone townhouses. This structure, known as the Pagoda Paris, was originally an ordinary nineteenth-century mansion until a wealthy Chinese art dealer named Ching Tsai Loo purchased it in 1925. He worked with the architect Fernand Bloch to completely transform the residence into a striking display of Chinese architectural style. When it opened in 1928, the radical change caused a public scandal among the conservative neighbors who favored the uniform Haussmannian aesthetic of the area.