Inaugurated in 1930, the Fondation des États-Unis was created to embody Franco-American friendship and welcome American students and researchers to Paris. The project, championed by Ambassador Myron Timothy Herrick, came to fruition thanks to the support of universities and numerous American donors. Through its architecture and interior decoration, the house celebrates the encounter between the two countries, giving tangible expression to the Cité internationale’s ambition to foster closer ties between cultures.
A house born from the Franco-American friendship
The Fondation des États-Unis saw the light of day thanks to the ambassador Myron Timothy Herrick who, in 1925, enlisted American universities and numerous donors, notably the American couple Mabel Knowles Gage and her husband, the surgeon Homer Gage. It was inaugurated in April 1930 in the presence of its founders, the Gage couple, the American ambassador, Walter Evans Edge and Gaston Doumergue, the president of the French Republic. The house was intended to offer a place to stay to American students and researchers in Paris. Since 1930 the foundation has awarded the Harriet Hale Woolley scholarship every year to American artists and musicians in Paris as well as to an American, French or Swiss psychiatry interns.
The house holds the status of a foundation and is recognised as a public utility of which the board of directors is chaired by the chancellor of the academic region of Île-de-France, chancellor of the Académie de Paris.
Art Deco architecture
The project was entrusted to Pierre Leprince-Ringuet, winner of the Prix de Rome in 1904. The architect designed an imposing U-shaped building, with a central block and two wings extending towards the park. Its peach-coloured brick façades are articulated by horizontal bands of stone. Bas-reliefs by Marcel Gaumont adorn the main façade. The most monumental, set in the central pediment, depicts the bald eagle, emblem of the United States, flanked by two figures, one holding Notre-Dame de Paris and the other a skyscraper: an evocation of the encounter between European tradition and American modernity. The entrance hall and grand salon also reflect the Art Deco style.
One of the remarkable features of this house is the fifth and top floor of the building, which is entirely dedicated to artists.
SPACES FOR LIVING, STUDYING AND CREATING
Community life and artistic creation play an important role at the Fondation des États-Unis. The grand salon, with its stage and Steinway concert piano, hosts concerts and cultural events. The library, small lounge, foyer and multipurpose room provide additional spaces for studying or gathering together. Two soundproofed music studios and eight art studios allow residents to develop their artistic practice. These spaces combine study, creativity and conviviality, extending community life through cultural and artistic activities.
Decorative elements
Bas-reliefs by Marcel Gaumont adorn the main façade. The biggest is located on the central pediment and represents the bald eagle, the emblem of the United States, surrounded by two allegories: one of the Notre-Dame of Paris and the other of a skyscraper., symbolising the meeting between the old and new worlds. On the inside, in the entrance hall and the large lounge, the decor is markedly art deco. The large lounge is decorated with frescos by Robert La Montagne Saint-Hubert, evoking the history of French art over time.
A HERITAGE SITE IN CONSTANT EVOLUTION
In 2019, a major renovation programme entitled “East Side Story” transformed the East Wing of the Fondation. Led by Atelier Circonflexe Architectes, the project improved residents’ comfort and adapted the spaces to changing needs and lifestyles. All rooms were equipped with private bathrooms, refrigerators and custom-designed beechwood furniture. Three accessible rooms for people with disabilities were also created. The communal areas were completely redesigned to make them more functional and welcoming.
On the lower ground floor, the foyer was reorganised to accommodate a range of activities, including artistic and sports activities, relaxation, cooking and dining. Former storage rooms were also converted into a multipurpose room, two music studios and a room for the residents’ committee. Environmental considerations were also an important part of the renovation. Photovoltaic panels were installed on the building’s two terraces, providing, depending on the season, 8 to 10% of the East Wing’s energy consumption. A heat recovery system for greywater also makes it possible to preheat water using energy recovered from wastewater.
This transformation will continue as the Fondation approaches its centenary. The fifth floor will be entirely redesigned by architect Jean-Paul Viguier to create the “American Villa in Paris”, featuring 16 renovated artists’ studios.
A cultural program dedicated to artists and young talent
Open to the public, the Foundation’s cultural programme showcases its artistic residents and alumni, always ready to return to the “FEU” by proposing a large range of concerts, expositions, workshops, conferences and spectacles. It is also the initiative for an original project: Art-Hop-Polis. Every first Wednesday of the month, the public is invited to hop from one private viewing to the next in the different participating houses in order to discover the exhibitions by artists from around the world. Its programme is available on the agenda CitéScope. The house also rents out spaces like the Grand salon Art déco for professional events.
Famous alumnus
Jay Gottlieb is an American pianist who was born in New York. He works with famous 20th century pianists and composers such as Nadia Boulanger and John Cage. He has created numerous œuvres for the piano, several of which are dedicated to him.
