Radiant Cité
Built between 1849-1851 on the orders of Louis-Napoleon before he became Napoleon III, this ensemble of buildings was intended to provide « healthy and well-ventilated » housing for 250 workers at the nearby gasworks. Based on Fournier’s phalanstère, it was both a utopian project and a means of keeping tabs on the working classes. Notice the attractive staircases lit by stained glass windows. Footbridges connect the different dwellings, reminiscent of industrial architecture, and in the shady garden at the back of the building, you can still see the old fountain.
