HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY HUGUES AINE PAVILION HABS No. FR-0618
Location:
The Hugues Ainé pavilion is located at the southern limit of the historic center of Grasse. The building is located at 18 Fragonard Boulevard 06139, Grasse. The city of Grasse is situated in the region of the Maritime Alps in France.
Present Owner:
The building is owned by the city of Grasse.
Present Use:
Presently used as the boutique of the International Museum of Perfumes.
Significance:
The Hugues Ainé Pavilion is a unique example of Second Empire Style architecture in the Grasse. It was built in the 1860’s by a perfume merchant at a time of a great economical era in the city through the perfume industry. The perfume industry shaped the urban fabric of the city and its surrounding agricultural areas. This industry highly influenced the cultural significance of the city as a national site of interest and international tourism.
PART I HISTORICAL INFORMATION: A. Physical History: 1. Date of erection : The building was erected circa 1865. 2. Architect: Original architect not known . 1970’s restoration by Nikita de Groer. 3. Original and subsequent owners, uses: The original owner of the building Jean Joseph Hugues was a perfume merchant and prominent figure in the community. He owned several buildings about 140 feet away in the adjacent streets which were also factory buildings for the Hugues Ainé perfume company. These buildings which were apart of an ancient religious hospital, the hospital Saint Jacques, were sold to him during the french revolution. Hugues decided to expand his properties and added this Page 1
new building that was used as storage and office space. This building was sold in the early twentieth century to the ice merchant Chiotasse. The building was a utility space and a part of the café which operated for decades. Circa 1970 the building was sold the city and was used as a garage and storage space. The city rehabilitated the Hugues Ainé building as a part of the International Museum of Perfume that was inaugurated in 1989. The building is now the location of the museum’s boutique. 4. Original plans and construction: The plan of the two-and-one-half-story masonry building was inserted between medieval walls to the north and an existing building to the south to create a private court space on its eastern side. It was also designed with a large entry way which gave access to the Boulevard Fragonard on its western side. The building plan and the front and back gates created a passage way allowing direct access from the street to the private court that housed stables. In addition the building was designed to support an elevated garden, the second floor opened on to this garden and was accessed by an interior circular stone staircase. 5. Alterations and additions: During the twentieth century the building’s roof was removed. It was reconstructed according to historic documents in the 1970’s, during the construction project of the International Museum of Perfumery designed by the architect Nikita de Groer. The Museum was built in the location of the elevated garden, barracks that had been erected during the late twentieth century were removed.1 The concrete structures that were later built by the city adjacent to the building were partially removed to recreate the original size of the interior spaces. The building was restored to its original design. However the building was attached as a part of the museum. Alterations to the flooring system were made in the 1970’s : new brick and marble veneers were placed and covered the original stone flooring. In the 2000’s the museum was renovated and enlarged by the architect Frédéric Jung, the interior of the upper level of the building was altered, new paint and flooring were added along with new furniture for the exhibitions. The lower floor became the boutique of the museum thus new retail furniture was added and a removable secured entry door glass addition was placed.
Sabatier, Alain. Photo documentation of the International Museum of Perfumery site before construction. circa 1980. Archival ref : 3E70155. Regional archives in Nice. On these photographs the site condition, the medieval wall, the interior and exterior spaces are visible. The roof is missing and the building hidden by the later constructions. 1
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B. Historical Context: Hugues Ainé and the Perfume Industry The Hugues Ainé building is an example of the “town factory buildings” that were built in Grasse in the second half of the nineteenth century. These first industrial buildings were built mostly in the old historic center and their architecture was not explicit of their function, often only a tall chimney could allude to the building’s activity. By the twentieth century, Grasse had become the leader in perfume making in France. The factories moved to larger sites on the outskirts of the city. There were about 30 sites in activity between 1860 and 1940. The Hugues Ainé building was built by one of the main perfume merchant in Grasse. In the 1900's the factory gradually relocated to a large property outside of the historic town center, new buildings were constructed in the hilltops and Hugues sold the older buildings to different private owners. Hugues Ainé developped the first distillation by direct steam injection which marked a major technological break-through in the profession. 2 In 1908, Hugues Ainé was bought by three partners one being the son in law of Hugues, Eugène Charabot. Charabot was not only an important figure in the city he also became a french senator and often travelled to Paris. He gave is name to the company and till today Charabot and Company is still a major producer of natural raw materials for perfumes with offices in Asia, Middle- East, Europe and North America. It is the oldest producer of natural materials for perfumes still active today. 3 The building and the evolution of Grasse The Hugues Ainé building is a unique example of mid size empire style architecture and its design reflects several historical aspects of the city’s evolution. The third extension of the medieval city walls which date from the fourteenth century surrounded the historic city center. The building was placed adjacent to what was the southern gate of the city known as the Gate of Ayguière. 4 In the medieval time the town was already a municipality given freedom to be administered by the merchant and artisans. The wall structures present on the site are one of the last vestige of the medieval walls which were almost completely demolished with the modern expansion of the city. The building was erected in the second half of the nineteenth century. The aristocracy and the merchants made up the elite class of the city. Thus the details and elaborate design of this small building showed the wealth and social status of the owner, a successful perfume merchant. The style used was representative of the architectural and urban changes occurring in major cities in France. The Second Empire style buildings were mainly large civic buildings and Haussman type 2
Berenger, Fernand. “Hugues Ainé, Thesis on perfume distillation” 1867. French Congress of Science. Archival ref : BR 1716 - 21797. This work explains the distillation process and the techniques developed by the company Hugues Ainé. 3
Charabot, raw materials for the fragrances and flavor industries. Robertet Group. https://www.robertet.com/en/therobertet-group/charabot/ 4
Poteur, Catherine. “Grasse in the medieval period : powers and places of power”. 2014. Castrum Maritime Alps. Study of the medieval period of Grasse which mentions the 14th century walls and the gate of Ayguière.
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buildings that were built to transform the urban environment and unify streets in Paris, Lyon and Marseille. However some single examples like this particular building could also be found elsewhere and it is one of the few examples in Grasse. As the perfume industry turned towards a more capitalist system. Large factory plants were built in higher or lower flat lands, so large they acted as small neighborhoods with their annexes building and worker housings. Hence the small sized buildings in the historic center were sold. In the first half of the twentieth century Grasse had a great economic situation, hundreds of employees and their families were associated with the perfumeries. A funicular brought visitors from the lower train station to the city which is at a 500m altitude. The city was a center of interest and attracted people from all over the country. Many commerces were opened and the vibrant community enjoyed a lot of cultural events often organized by the industry leaders. The Hugues Ainé building had become the Chiotasse ice cream, café, lemonade shop. In addition the shop was the only one in the town that made and sold ice for personal use at a time when not everyone could have refrigerated systems at home. The project of creating a museum to celebrate the art of perfumery started in the early twentieth century with Francois Carnot, son of a French president and part of the council of national museums. Carnot was married to a native of Grasse. He created the first private perfume museum in Grasse in the 1920's but with the decades the collections kept getting bigger and the need for a larger museum was necessary. The city with the help of city patrons began the project of the International Museum of Perfumery in the late 1970’s and the museum was inaugurated in 1989. The historic Hugues Ainé pavilion was restored by the architect Nikita de Groer and became the entrance of this museum. PART II ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION: A. General Statement: 1. Architectural character: The Hugues Ainé building is a two-and-one-half-story masonry structure with a hip style slate roof and neoclassical facade. The narrow setting of the building creates an L shaped design set between pre-existing medieval buildings and medieval large city walls. The ground floor is composed of a large arched entry space and a main vaulted room with pillars and columns. This space originally accommodated vehicles storage and other equipments. The vertical circulation is defined by an enclosed stone spiral staircase giving access to the second floor. The upper floor comprises of a small room originally an office space with an arched opening and balcony. The larger space of the upper floor was originally a part of an outdoor terrace and is now enclosed for the museum exhibition space. The building is constructed of rubble masonry walls with lime mortar and plaster finish. Stone details and plaster moldings are present on both levels. The facade has a lot of ornamentation, with details deriving from the three classical orders. The facade is composed of a combination of lime mortar, stone and stucco. The facade is finished by a red ocher paint typical of the traditional architectural colors in the southern region. Page 4
2. Condition of fabric: The Hugues Ainé building is in an overall good condition. The structure is sound. But there are some moderate damages concentrated in the facade and the staircases. These are mostly due to water infiltration and moisture issues. Repairs are needed on the facade surface, the ornaments, the balcony and the plaster molding of the staircase. The historic structure has been restored several times to bring it back to its original design. The roof was reconstructed and the additions of concretes removed. B. Description of Exterior 1. Overall dimensions: The Hugues Aine building is a two and half story structure. Only the front facade is visible from the exterior. The overall height of the facade is 31’2” to the cornice and 37’3” including the roof. 2. Foundations: The foundations walls of the building are made of rubble stones of approximately 1’3” of thickness. In 1982 concrete ground beams were added and the stone pillars were reenforced with concrete footing. 3. Walls: The load bearing walls are made of rubble stone held by lime mortar and covered with a lime plaster finish. The arched entry and windows surrounds are made of stone blocks covered in lime plaster. On the main neoclassical facade the exterior wall is detailed with stone string courses, pilasters and other molded details made of lime mortar. The facade is covered with a red ocher paint. The lower natural stone veneers were added in the 1980’s.
Front elevation. Recent photo.
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4. Structural system, framing: The ground floor structure is composed of load bearing rubble masonry walls and three stone blocks pillars. The ground floor system is held by a layer of mortar resting on a bed of gravel 8” thick. The first floor structure is made of stone blocks supported by the groin vaults. The roof structure is made of timber. It is composed of hip rafters, a ridge, purlins and rafters placed every 23”. The system is assembled with mortise and tenon joints and secured with bolts. The structure is covered with solid wood sheathing nailed to the rafters.
Interior view ground floor. Credit. Alain Sabatier, 1980’s.
Interior view ground floor. Credit. International Museum Perfumery, 2002
5. Balcony: The main facade has a balcony of 15’ long by 3’-7” wide. The balcony is accessible by two openings on the first floor. The balcony platform is made of stone slabs and supported by decorated stone corbels. The iron railing is 2’-11” high and is detailed with scrollwork patterns.
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View of balcony. Recent photo.
6. Openings: a. Doorways and doors: The front doorway is made of a round stone arch with two pilaster siding. The overall entry way is 7’4” large and 14’8” high. The double doors are topped by an arched transom with a radius of 44”. The transom is made of glass and covered by metal work with iron rods 20mm thick. The double doors are 3’8” wide and 9’6” high. They are made of wood painted with a dark shade of green. The doors have two recessed glass panels covered with strolled metal work and two lower raised panels with bead trimming.
Entrance door. Recent photo.
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b. Windows and shutters: Three arched french windows are present on the first floor. Two are operable and open to the exterior balcony while the middle one is fixed. The french double doors are composed of three rectangular glass panels and two arched glass panels. The sashes and the lower panels are made of timber and painted in a light shade of grey.
View of the french windows. Recent photo.
7. Roof: a. Shape, covering: The roof is a four sided hip style roof. It has three dormers on the front slope. The roof structure is covered with 22mm thick natural slates held by stainless steel hooks and is detailed with zinc ridges. The roof is a 1982 reconstruction of the original historic design from the 1860’s.
View of the slate roof. Recent photo.
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b. Cornice: The stone and plaster cornice protrudes 1’ from the facade, is supported by stone slabs and is underlined by a course of decorated plaster brackets. Zinc gutters run on the four sides of the roof, the front gutter is concealed in the cornice and leads the rainwater to a single copper down spout running along the right side of the facade. The roof is topped with decorative zinc work comprising of a cresting 10” tall in between two finials 35” high. c. Dormers: The roof has three segmental arched dormers on the west slope. There are two arched zinc dormers with oeil-de-boeuf windows 19” tall and 15” wide. The middle dormer has a rectangular window 27” tall and 15” wide. The central dormer is made of zinc and has a stone front with a baroque style pediment and side pilaster decorations. The overall dimensions of the dormer are 78” high and 61” large, it was rebuilt according to the original 1860’s design.
View of the three dormers. Recent photo.
C. Description of Interior. 1. Floor plans: The ground floor level of the Hugues Ainé building is 37’-1” deep by 39’-6” wide. It is divided in 3 bays of different sizes, two of 11’-8” by 17’-1” and one of 12’-8” by 12’. The first floor overall dimension is 16’-9” by 28’-3”. It is made of one room of 16’-6” deep by 13’-2” and a circular staircase of 11’-2” of diameter.
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2. Stairways: The enclosed circular staircase is situated in the north west corner of the building. It communicate between the ground level and the first floor. The stairs are made of 32 stone steps and rise a total of 19’. The stairway was reopened in 1982 after being
Interior view of the spiral staircase. Recent photo.
condemned for a long period. The ceiling of the staircase is finished with lime plaster and has a glass dome lantern of approximately 3’ high and a radius of 2’. The railing is made of cast iron 69” tall and attached to the stone steps. 3. Flooring: The ground floor is made of glazed terra-cotta tiles sizing approximately 4” by 9” and laid in large herringbone style rectangular areas. The terra-cotta pattern is surrounded by a perimeter of polished hard natural stone tiles sized about 12” by 23”. The terra-cotta tiles and stone tiles are laid on a layer of mortar. The flooring of the room on the first level is made of the same polished natural stone tiles laid in a random pattern made up of stone sizes of three widths and random lengths.
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Ground level flooring detail. Recent photo.
First level flooring detail. Recent photo.
4. Wall and ceiling finish: On the ground level the interior side of the southern wall has two half pillars made of natural stones blocks with a chiseled finish. The walls and vaulted ceilings are covered with a lime mortar layer and painted in a off white color. The interior walls of the first level are also covered with lime plaster and painted in a crimson red shade. The ceiling of the upper room is made of white plaster decorated with a small central ceiling rose and has plaster crown molding along the four sides.
Interior view of ground level wall finish. Recent photo.
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Interior view of upper level room ceiling finish. Recent photo.
5. Openings a. Doorways and doors: On the first floor the office room has an arched doorway made of stone blocks covered with a layer of lime plaster painted white. This 4’ large doorway is closed by an arched solid wood double door with two recessed lower wood panels. The entrance to the enclosed staircase is made of a 3’3” large arched opening to which an arched glass door was added in the 2000’s. The arched opening has a large stone trim covered with lime mortar and painted white.
Interior view of staircase arched entry on the first floor. Recent photo.
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b. Windows: The three windows of the first level office room are made of square glass panels sized 13” by 13”. The overall dimension of the windows are 38” wide and 7’11” tall. The windows have lower solid wood recessed panels. The interior side of the window wood trims are painted in the same crimson shade as the wall.
Interior view of the french windows on the upper level room . Recent photo.
6. Decorative features and trim: during the 1980’s renovation a polished natural stone baseboard was added to the walls of the ground floor level and first floor room. Other decorative plaster crown molding are present on the ceiling of the spiral staircase and at the top of the first floor of the arched entry to the staircase. 7. Hardware: The two operable french windows have a cremone bolt system made of metal with detailed handles. The hardware of the large ground floor entrance double door is original this includes bolts, hinges and pull bar handles. 8. Mechanical equipment a. Heating, air conditioning, ventilation: During the 1980’s renovation a radiant floor heating systems was put in place in the ground floor level. The floor is layered with a poly vapor barrier, insulating sheathing, radiant heating floor pipes covered with mortar and flooring tiles. The room on the first floor is heated by the latest central heating system added during the 2000s renovation. There are two vent grilles visible on the ceiling of this room. Page 13
b. Lighting: One light fixture of interest is situated in the first floor room. This chandelier is hanging from the central ceiling rose, it is made of bronze and has 6 lights. c. Plumbing: The original water source came from a stream which crosses the site along the medieval city walls. A stone fountain head is visible on the city walls. New plumbing was added in the ground floor during the 1980s renovation to accommodate for a toilet. The toilet was removed in the 2000’s but a sink remains in use in the storage space. D. Site. Historic landscape design: The building structure was designed in the 1860’s to act as a retaining wall and to support part of an elevated garden which was situated behind in the court space. The garden was probably set in different terraces and its area limited by the medieval wall and stables. The first floor staircase and office room opened up to the top of this garden. However during the twentieth century the space was altered and the garden was lost to a large concrete structure which took all the original garden area and connected directly to the Hugues Ainé building. The roof terrace of this structure had many small structures built on top overtime. These were removed during the 1980’s work to build the museum and this concrete structure was rehabilitated.
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PART III SOURCES OF INFORMATION: Architectural drawings: • Set of architectural drawings completed by Nikita De Groër architect in charge of the 1980s renovation. Available at the Communal Archives of Grasse. Images: • Photographs by Alain Sabatier taken in 1980’s. Shows the condition of the building and its surrounding before reconstruction of the roof and interior restoration. Located at the Communal Archives in Grasse. • Postal Cards showing the Hugues Ainé building facade circa 1890’s. Photographer unknown. Located at the Communal Archives in Grasse.
Selected Sources: • Berenger, Fernand. “Hugues Ainé, Thesis on perfume distillation” 1867. French Congress of Science. Archival ref : BR 1716 - 21797. • Charabot, raw materials for the fragrances and flavor industries. Robertet Group. https:// www.robertet.com/en/the-robertet-group/charabot/ • Poteur, Catherine. “Grasse in the medieval period : powers and places of power”. 2014. Castrum Maritime Alps. • Census of Grasse in 1866. Document 06M 0096 located at the Departmental Archive in Nice. • Map of Grasse in 1848. Document 01FI 0756 located at the Departmental Archive in Nice. • Map of Grasse in 1979. Document 25Fi 069/79/BH located at the Departmental Archive in Nice. • Letters about the construction of the International Museum of Perfumery. Records of city council meetings. Request of government financial help for a cultural institution. Case file reference number: 76W1 located at the Communal Archives of Grasse. • Inventory of restoration work. Records of payments and government subvention. Letters of the architect Nikita De Groër including a letter written to the government about the discovery of Page 15
the medieval city wall on the site and its need for preservation. Case file reference number : 92W16 located at the Communal Archives of Grasse.
APPENDICE: MEASURED ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS
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