Céramic Hôtel, Art Nouveau hotel in 8th arrondissement, France.
The Céramic Hôtel is a residential hotel on Avenue de Wagram in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, known for its facade of fired sandstone and glazed brick. The eight-story building stands on a corner plot and is classified under Art Nouveau architecture.
The building was designed in 1904 by architect Jules Lavirotte as a rental residence with furnished apartments for singing teacher Amélie Russeil. The colored ceramic facade was a novelty at the time and later contributed to the building being recognized as a historic monument.
The facade is covered with floral motifs and figures made from glazed brick and fired sandstone, created by Alexandre Bigot and sculptor Camille Alaphilippe. These decorative elements are clearly visible from the pavement and show how craft and fine art came together on an everyday residential building.
The building is located near Place Charles de Gaulle and is easy to reach from several metro stations in the area. The facade can be seen in full from the street, with no need to enter the building to take in its details.
The building won a 1905 Paris facade competition, which was a direct public endorsement of this then-uncommon approach to design. It is also registered as a condominium, meaning parts of the building are privately occupied today.
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