Maison fond, Urban art installation near Gare du Nord, France

Maison fond is a 6.90 m artwork by Leandro Erlich on the parvis of Gare du Nord, made of a pale stone facade leaning backwards, with a dark grey mansard roof, two round-arched dormer windows and two rectangular windows with black wrought-iron balconies. Its ground level has two small windows and a base, and the facade is attached to a modern glass and metal structure.

Leandro Erlich, an Argentine artist, created Maison fond for Nuit Blanche; it was inaugurated on 3 October 2015 on the parvis of Gare du Nord. The 6.90 m work was inspired by a Directoire-style building on rue de Grenelle. It was dismantled on 16 March 2021 because of the poor condition of its structure, in consultation with the artist.

The work communicates environmental concerns through its sinking form, prompting visitors to think about climate impacts on our surroundings. It speaks visually to how natural forces can reshape our built environment.

The work stood on the parvis of Gare du Nord in the 10th arrondissement, reachable by metro, RER and mainline trains. It was dismantled on 16 March 2021 because of the poor condition of its structure, so nothing remains on the square today.

The work was dismantled on 16 March 2021 because its structure had deteriorated; the removal was carried out in consultation with Leandro Erlich. The 6.90-metre facade was modelled on a Directoire-style building on rue de Grenelle.