City of Fashion and Design

The structure you are approaching was originally built in 1907 as a long, industrial warehouse for the Port of Paris. Designed by architect Georges Morin-Goustiaux, it served as a storage depot for goods arriving by river barge, which were then transferred to nearby trains. It stands as a significant piece of engineering history because it was one of the first buildings in Paris constructed entirely out of reinforced concrete. At the time, the architect made the controversial choice to leave the raw concrete facade undecorated rather than covering it in the ornamental style typical of the early twentieth century.