Peek A Views


Yesterday I posted about views of Chicago from the lake and river that are big, broad,
open and wide. Today, it's about views that are hidden and protected.

 
[Hotel particulier entryway; View over door pediment to hotel building, Paris /Images & Artwork: designslinger]

When walking through the streets of Paris you encounter some of the most ornate
doorways you'll find in any city. Many are built into the front facade of a building like most door openings. Many more however, are built into a thick wall which fronts an interior courtyard of a hotel particulier. Don't let the hotel part throw you. The name describes the mansions built for the wealthy as their city residence. For a more contemporary twist on the concept, it's like the urban dweller of today who has a small pied-a-terre in the city and a big house in the suburbs.

 
[Door opening to hotel courtyard; Interior courtyard revealed, Paris /Images & Artwork: designslinger]

The reason for the existence of the large door opening on to a private, paved interior
courtyard was safety. When most of these mansions were built, Paris was a rough and tumble place. If you were rich and upper class, you wanted to minimize your interaction with those beneath you, and one way to limit such contact was to get your carriage into your house as quickly as possible without much interaction with the street urchins surrounding you. Servants were standing by to open the heavy wooden doors and shut them tight as soon as the back wheels cleared the opening. Given that the intent was to keep the outside world from getting in, whenever we passed by a door cracked open, I felt compelled to poke my nose in and take a peek.

 
[Soldes Textiles building, 15, rue de Thorigny, Paris /Image & Artwork: designslinger]

Every door is meant to stop someone from entering, or at least it is meant to give pause
before gaining access to another space. When we came upon this simple entryway, I was just as curious, or nosy, to sneak a peek behind those blue doors. But alas, the door never cracked open.


Posted by designslinger at 5/14/2009 6:45 AM
Categories: Cities, Architecture
Tags: pied-a-terre hotel particulier Paris
 

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  • 5/14/2009 11:59 AM Evelyne wrote:
    Well my friends I am so happy you have taken these pictures, because I started to do a series of Versailles door way in watercolor and thanks to you I have more to do.
  • 8/25/2010 9:34 PM discoteca roma testaccio wrote:
    Because this post is so interesting, I am going to read more.
    1. 8/26/2010 4:31 AM designslinger wrote:
      Grazie!
  • 1/9/2011 8:15 AM Theresemijuskovic wrote:
    What hides behind a door? When it does not open the imagination has to kick in.
    1. 1/11/2011 7:50 AM designslinger wrote:
      Absolutely right!
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