La Samaritaine

The project for rehabilitating the department store La Samaritaine is located in the heart of Paris, in the continuity of the Rue Rivoli and close to the Louvre. Continuing the accumulation of eras, the project is adjusted in a contemporary manner to offer a graduation of historical styles. In addition to a 20,000 m² department store, the building includes a 72-room luxury hotel, offices, social housing and a daycare centre, accentuating the hybrid quality at the heart of these associations. Our task was to carry out the execution studies and fabrication and production plans for three specific structures, two of which were completed: the ‘Ombrelle’ and the ‘Dôme’.

The Ombrelle is a glazed pavilion located on the patio of the Rivoli building, consisting of a flat roof and two double-height curved glazed facades. The roof comprises two steel sheets linked by rods: a recessed grid and a network of tie rods. The structure rests via articulated supports on the uprights of the curved façades and four posts inside the sheet.

The Dome is a double-curved glazed roof that rests on the four sides of the Jourdain patio, forming a quadrangular plan of 19x17 m. It also consists of a top sheet made of thin steel beams and a network of stainless steel cables operating in a chain. The total sheet rests on the cable network via custom-milled connecting rods. The dome glazing is cold-bent onto the structure.