Hector Guimard

Hector Guimard was an important French architect, born in Lyon in 1867. He died in new York in 1942, at the age of 75. He is widely considered to be one of the major representatives of the Art Nouveau movement. He was greatly influenced by Viollet-le-Duc (French) and Horta (Belgian) two other architects who pioneered the Art Nouveau movement. 

In Paris he is widely know for his Metro Station entrances made using wrought iron, bronze and glass. Eighty-six such metro station entrances still exist today in various forms, but the only original and complete one which still remains is the one at Porte Dauphine built in 1902. I knew there was something special about it when I saw it last week.

There is another Hector Gumard Metro station entrance at Place des Abbesses. Interestingly this Metro entrance was previously located at the Hotel de Ville, but was dismantled in 1972 and rebuilt at Abbesses.

At Place Blanche Metro station there are also some Hector Guimard elements. Here is a railing detail.

Here is a pigeon perch.

And look, here's a triffid. Or if you prefer, an elegant woman holding tightly onto her hat.