In the landscape of the suburban town of Créteil, in the department of Val-de-Marne, rises an unusual ensemble of buildings that has aroused curiosity and enduring interest for more than half a century. We are talking about Les Choux de Créteil (The Cabbages of Créteil), the work of architect Gérard Grandval, which was built between 1969 and 1974. Their characteristic shape, reminiscent of the cabbage leaves of the title, makes them one of the most recognisable and unique examples of 20th century French architecture. In 2008, the complex was awarded the prestigious title of ‘Heritage of the 20th century’.
The birth of the New Créteil and Grandval’s vision
In the 1950s, Créteil was experiencing a rapid population growth, which necessitated a major redevelopment of the town. As part of the New Créteil project, seven architects were given the task of restructuring individual neighbourhoods. Gérard Grandval was given responsibility for the renewal of the Palais district. It was on the site of a former horticultural plain (where cabbages, among other things, were grown) that Les Choux sprang up between 1970 and 1974. Grandval’s inspiration was the desire to break with the monotony of the buildings of the time and create something “more austere in solids”, but at the same time “flexible and vegetal in forms”.
Les Choux de Créteil: architecture that delights
The ten circular towers, 21 metres in diameter, are the essence of Grandval’s vision, but it is the balconies that give these buildings their original character. Each flat has a balcony shaped like a cabbage leaf, which are arranged in a chequered pattern on the facades. Residents and passers-by were quick to christen this ensemble the Cabbages, which perfectly reflects their appearance. The architect’s original idea was to plant the balconies with plants, thus creating vertical gardens, but the developer ultimately did not agree to this solution.
Paul Fleury, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Location and history of the estate
Les Choux each have 15 floors (one building is lower and has a larger diameter) and are situated around the circular boulevard Pablo-Picasso, in the new part of the city, between Lake Créteil in the south and the Palais de Justice and the university in the north. The history of the site dates back to the 19th century, when the Pompadour plain was an important horticultural centre of Paris and even housed the largest sauerkraut factory in the region. Grandval was certainly aware of this past when creating his project.
Revitalisation and recognition of heritage
In 1998, the municipality of Créteil took steps to revitalise the district. The central building of the complex, inhabited by disadvantaged families, was then rebuilt and modernised. In order to promote social integration, some of the flats were allocated to students. These efforts were recognised in 2008 when Les Choux de Créteil was awarded the prestigious ’20th Century Heritage’ designation, confirming its importance to French architecture and culture.
Les Choux de Créteil today
Despite the passage of 50 years since they were built, Les Choux de Créteil are still one of the most unusual and distinctive architectural features of Greater Paris. Despite the design’s fame, however, residents complain of damp problems and unwieldy flats. Regardless of opinions, the buildings’ unique form and history have become a permanent part of the city’s landscape. The Créteil cabbages remain a fascinating example of the search for new forms and a departure from conventional construction, serving as a living monument to French architecture of the 1970s.
Source: pariszigzag.fr, domiporta.co.uk
Also read: France | Modernism | Paris | Detail | Interesting facts | whiteMAD on Instagram
