Villa des Arts, Artists' studios complex in Grandes-Carrières, Paris, France.
Villa des Arts is a complex of about 50 artist studios arranged along a 45-meter-long private street in the 18th arrondissement of Paris. The buildings are tightly packed, creating a maze-like layout where narrow passages wind between studios and small courtyards.
The complex was built in 1888 as a purpose-built artists' housing and incorporated architectural elements salvaged from the 1900 Paris World Exhibition pavilions. This reuse of materials and designs gave it a distinctive character from its inception.
The complex serves as a living artistic community where painters and sculptors continue to work side by side in shared studio spaces. Walking through the narrow passages, you notice artwork displayed in windows and doors that reflect the creative energy of those who call it home.
Entry to the complex is from Rue Hégésippe-Moreau through a discrete gate leading onto the private property. The narrow internal pathways require comfortable shoes and careful navigation, as the spaces are very tightly arranged.
The central staircase in the courtyard was originally salvaged from a 1900 World Exhibition pavilion and remains one of the few surviving examples of this architectural reuse. This original piece tells the story of how the artists' community transformed exhibition materials into lasting structures.
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