METRO ENTRY | Hector Guimard
Paris - France
Hector Guimard was a visionary French architect and designer whose work defined the Art Nouveau movement at the turn of the 20th century. His architecture embraced fluidity, organic forms, and the unity of structure and ornament. Inspired by nature, he translated the curves of plants and vines into cast iron, glass, and stone, creating spaces that felt alive and dynamic. Guimard rejected historical imitation, instead pursuing a modern aesthetic rooted in craftsmanship and movement. His most famous creations—the Paris Métro entrances—embody his belief that everyday design could be both functional and poetic. Beyond these, his buildings and furnishings reveal a complete artistic vision where architecture, interior, and detail flow seamlessly together. Though his style was once dismissed as eccentric, Guimard’s work now stands as a symbol of modern elegance and creative freedom, bridging art, technology, and the spirit of urban modernity.
ABOUT THE ARITST
PROJECTS:
Paris - France
HÔTEL GUIMARD
ACCESS:
This is a private residence and access to the public is not permitted.
ADDRESS:
122 Av. Mozart, 75016 Paris, France
The Hôtel Guimard in Paris, designed by Hector Guimard as both his home and studio, is a masterful expression of Art Nouveau architecture. Completed in 1909, the building showcases Guimard’s belief in total design—where structure, decoration, and furnishings are conceived as one harmonious whole. Its façade ripples with asymmetrical stonework, wrought-iron balconies, and flowing lines that evoke the movement of nature. Inside, custom-designed furniture, fixtures, and detailing continue the organic rhythm, creating a living environment that feels sculpted rather than built. The play of light, texture, and curvature transforms each space into an intimate, expressive composition. Hôtel Guimard stands as both a personal manifesto and a living artwork, encapsulating the architect’s vision of architecture as a synthesis of art, craft, and modern innovation within the evolving fabric of early 20th-century Paris.
DESCRIPTION:
If you like the works of Hector Guimard you should also visit Le Castel Béranger and the Hôtel Guimard.
NOTES:
PARIS METRO ENTRY
Paris - France
ADDRESS:
Multiple locations listed below:
ACCESS:
FREE, no entry to the subway is required to appreciate the entrances. They are accessible 24/7.
The Paris Métro entrances designed by Hector Guimard are among the most recognizable expressions of Art Nouveau architecture. Created in the early 1900s, these structures transformed functional urban infrastructure into sculptural works of art. Guimard used cast iron and glass to craft sinuous, organic forms that evoke the natural world—plant-like stems, flowing lines, and delicate lettering that seem to grow from the pavement. Each entrance blends utility with artistry, turning a moment of transit into an aesthetic experience. The designs emphasize lightness and rhythm, uniting industrial materials with the elegance of handcrafted detail. Beyond their beauty, Guimard’s entrances symbolized a new Paris—modern, democratic, and forward-looking—celebrating craftsmanship in an age of rapid mechanization. Today, they remain enduring icons of the city’s identity, embodying the fusion of art, architecture, and technology at the dawn of the 20th century.
DESCRIPTION:
ALL GUIMARD METRO LOCATIONS:
Palais Royal–Musée du Louvre (Lines 1 & 7)
Porte Dauphine (Line 2)
Sentier (Line 3)
Quatre-Septembre (Line 3)
Réaumur–Sébastopol (Lines 3 & 4)
Cité (Line 4)
Château d’Eau (Line 4)
Étienne Marcel (Line 4)
Mouton-Duvernet (Line 4)
Denfert-Rochereau (Lines 4 & 6)
Raspail (Lines 4 & 6)
Bréguet–Sabin (Line 5)
Campo-Formio (Line 5)
Place-d’Italie (Line 5)
Saint-Marcel (Line 5)
Pasteur (Line 6)
Abbesses (Line 12)
If you like the works of Hector Guimard you should also visit Le Castel Béranger and the Hôtel Guimard.
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