the petition

DOCOMOMO France
DOCOMOMO International
SAY NO ! TO THE DESTRUCTION
OF THE POSTAL SORTING CENTER IN NANCY
icon of 1970's industrial architecture / architect : Claude Prouvé
Situated near the train station, in the middle of a vast urban territory bounded, on one side, by an
immense pocket of train tracks, and on the other side by the commercial center Saint-Sebastien, the
postal center built by Claude Prouvé in Nancy strikes a subtle balance between the elegant urbanity of
an office building and the primitive power of an industrial edifice. With curtain walls of aluminum and
glass and concrete towers (expressing, down to their striated texture, the movement of sliding
formwork), this building has become, for specialists, an icon of 1970's industrial architecture. For citydwellers, it represents a solid reference point in the everyday urban landscape. Recognized, as of
1998, by the Pompidou Center (Paris) and by the Guggenheim Museum (New York), the postal building
was the object of two local exhibitions, one at Le Corbusier's Unité d'habitation in Briey-en-Forêt
(1997), the other at the Nancy School of Architecture (1998). Although the city has been well-informed
– for more than eight years – of the interest generated by the building, the municipality has insidiously
programmed its destruction for April 2007. Real estate development around the future station for high
speed train links has been a subject of discussion, but in no way necessitates such a wanton waste.
Not only is there an abundant offer around the postal center, but the building, with its wide bays, is
perfectly suited for conversion. At a time when professionals around the world mobilise best practices
to integrate recent architectural heritage, the demolition of the sorting center would be a step in the
worst direction. It is not, here, a question of indiscriminately conserving the past, but rather of
protecting its most significant works. The postal sorting center is one of them. It is for this reason that
we ask Mr. André Rossinot, Mayor of Nancy, to act for the preservation of this remarkable building that
contributes to the modern identity of Lorraine's capital.
THE BUILDING : The sorting center consists of four open platforms (24 meters x 72 meters) with a ceiling height of six
meters. Supported by a concrete framework of wide bays (9 meters x 12 meters), these platforms can carry loads of
1500 kg / m2. A curtain wall held in tension by stiffeners derived from Jean Prouvé's "Eiffel Tower" system encloses
these vast spaces. Stabilised by three concrete towers (that house stairs, elevators, ductwork, and washrooms), the
building is accessible, street-side, from an open square reserved for trucks, and on the station-side by light structure
sheds resembling giant train wagons. Four aluminum cylinders allow mail sacs to be discharged toward the trains. The
building offers 11 000 square meters of usable surface. Since the exhibitions of 1998 in Briey and Nancy, numerous
possibilities for reconversion have been studied. One possibility involves transforming the postal center into a large
cultural complex where private and public activities could co-exist : archives, museum for urban history, architecture
gallery, Jean Prouvé Museum, contemporary art forum, meeting rooms, small and mid-sized amphitheaters, cafés and
convenience restaurants, etc...
THE ARCHITECT : Son of Jean Prouvé, Claude Prouvé began his architectural studies in 1948 at the Beaux-Arts
School in Nancy. As of 1954, he participated in his father's projects (the family home in Nancy, the home of Abbé
Pierrre, the facades of the CNIT, the Evian canteen, the Convention Center in Grenoble). From 1963, he worked in the
office of Jacques and Michel André, where he became partner in 1969. That same year, he created the Industrial
Organization for Habitat Resarch and Production (SIRH). Sponsored by the French state’s Plan Construction, the
experiment ended brutally in 1974. He went on to receive numerous commissions for public building works (school in
Herserange, postal center in Bar-le-Duc...) His biographical note appeared in the Encyclopedia Universalis in 2001.
If you support this petition, please send an email with your first and last names, your profession and
the city in which you work, to the President of Docomomo France : [email protected]
Maristella CASCIATO, architect and historian of architecture, Chairman of Docomomo
International, Bologne-Paris,
Claude LOUPIAC, historian of architecture, Senior Lecturer, Chairman of Docomomo France,
Paris
ABRAM Joseph, Architect and Historian of Architecture, Nancy
ALZINGRE Raymond, Architect d.p.l.g, Strasbourg (67)
AMARD Guy, Architect, Villey-Saint-Etienne
ANDRE Vincent, Architect, Longlaville (54)
ANDRIEUX Jean-Yves, Historian of Architecture, Rennes
ANDRZEJEWSKI Alexis, Architect, Cattenom (57)
ARBID George, Architect, Beyrouth, Lebanon
BAILLY Jacques, Architect and Professor, ENSAP, Lille
BARBEN Mariapia, architect and town planner, Geneva, Switzerland
BARBIER Alain, National Heritage Architect, Le Mans
BATES Donald, Architect, London, Melbourne
BÉAL Antoine, Architect, Senior Lecturer, ESA Lille
BECQ Sébastien, architect d.p.l.g., Verdun (55)
BELLOT Jean-Baptiste, Architect, Vittel
BERNARD Patrick, IT Manager, Adobe Certified Instructor, Acrobat
BERNARDINI Fabienne, Architect, Luxembourg, Casino Luxembourg – Contemporary
Art Forum
BERNARD-VION Sylvaine, Architect and Town Planner, Thonon-les-Bains
BERTHELOOT Mathieu, Architect, Lille
BESANÇON Franck, Architect, Nancy (ESAN) Epinal (Vosges CAUE)
BESSON Annette, Architect, Evian-les-Bains
BIENVENU Gilles, Architect and Historian, Nantes
BLOT Benjamin, Architect, Nancy (54)
BONNIKE Marnix, Assistant Director, ENSAP, Lille
BOUGELET Patrick, Artist, Lille
BOULANGER Gabrielle, Architect, National Education Ministry Central Administration,
Paris,
BOUYER Denis Laurent, Art criticist AICA, La Madeleine
BRABANT Nathalie, Architect, Strasbourg
BRATEAU Pascal, Architect, Villers-les-Nancy
BREDA Pascal, Architect, Nancy
BRUGUEROLLE Antoine, Architect, Nîmes
BURDESE Anne Marie, Searcher, ENSAP Lille
CAILLIAU Agnès, Architect and Town Planner, National Heritage Architect, Paris, Lille
CARDON Alain, Architect, Le Ban saint Martin (57)
CARLISLE Amy, Designer, London
CATHALA Marie, architect, Plan Libre S.A. Metz - Nancy – Chaumont
CAUVEZ CROMBEZ Sophie, Architect, Lille
CHARLERY Christophe, National Heritage Architect, Saint-Joseph (Martinique).
CHARRON Hélène, Architect, Nantes
CHOISIE Stéphane, National Heritage Architect, Paris 15e
CHOQUET Jean-Charles, Architect, Arzon en BRETAGNE
CICCHINI Isabelle, Assistant In charge of project, European Council, Strasbourg (67)
CLAIRE Etienne, National Heritage Curator, Rouen
CLAUSS Jean-Jacques, Architect, Nancy
COHEN Jean-Louis, Architect and Historian of Architecture, Paris-New York
COLEY Catherine, Historian of Architecture, Nancy
COLLIN Philippe, Architect, Nancy
COLLOMB Marc, Architect, Professor, Architecture Académy Mendrisio, Switzerland
CONAN Yuna, Head of Mission at Europan Europe
CONTAL Marie-Hélène, Assistant-Director at IFA, European Programm GAUDI
Coordinator, Cité de l'architecture et du patrimoine, Paris
COURANT Pascal, Student in Architecture, NANTES
CREMNITZER Jean-Bernard Architect, Professor ENSA of Normandie
CROSET Pierre-Alain, Architect and Historian of Architecture, Brescia/Torino, Italy.
DANIEL Katell, Town Planner an Historian, Vannes
DARY Thomas, National Heritage Architect, Dampierre-en-Yvelines
DEAT Jean-Luc, musician, ancient Student in Architecture, Nancy
DEBARGE Didier, Architect, Lille
DECROIX Amandine, PhD student Lille
DEFER Julien, Architect dPLG, Bar-Le-Duc
DELANNOY Natacha, Architect, Nancy
DELBECK Yannick, Architect, Megève
DELEMONTEY Yvan, Architect and Historian of Architecture, Genève
DELORME Franck, Assistant Curator, Cité de l'architecture et du patrimoine, centre
d'archives d'architecture du XXe siècle/IFA, Paris
DEMANGE Cécile, Architect, Villers-les-Nancy
DEVANTHÉRY Patrick et LAMUNIÈRE Inès, Architects EPF FAS SIA, Carouge
DEVINOY Nadai, Honorary ABF, Moselle CAUE Secretary, France Fondation
Department Delegate, Member of National Metz Académy, Metz (57)
DIDION Nicolas, Student in Architecture, Paris
DIENER & DIENER architects, Basel
DOLLFUS Michel, SDAP 37 Director
DORNER Jean-Baptiste, Architecture Photograph
DUDEVANT Aurore, architect, Reims
DUFOSSÉ Emilie, Wardrobe Mistress, Lille
DUMONT-D'AYOT Catherine, architect and historian of architecture, Geneva
DUNNETT James, Architect, Co-Chairman of DOCOMOMO-UK, London N1
DUPONT Claire, Architect, London, United Kingdom
ECKLY Guillaume, architect, Nancy
EPIN Jean-Paul, Architect DPLG, Pont-à-Mousson (54)
ETIENNE-STEINER Claire, Curator of National Heritage, Rouen
EVRARD Fred, Architect and designer, Anvers (Belgium)
FALVO Valérie, Architect, Thonon-les-Bains (74)
FAUCONNIER Eric, architect, Metz
FEREY Sylvie, assistant to Curator of National Heritage, Lille
FLAVIGNY Thibaut, Architect, Athènes
FORTE Riccardo, architect and historian of architecture, Gênes
FOURRICHON Frédéric Louis, Architect, Berlin-Amsterdam-Tbilisi
FRANCOIS Antoine, Architect, Paris (75), Nancy (54)
FRANÇOIS Corinne, Architect, NANCY
FREIRE Adriana, architect, Lyon
FRÉMONT Sébastien, Communication Responsible , ENSAP, Lille
FREREJEAN Marc, Architect, Paris and Florange
GAILLOT Serge, Architect, Paris 11e
GALMICHE Véronique, architect, 55140 Burey-la-Côte
GASSIB Inssaf, Student in Architecture, ENSAP Lille
GASTEBOIS Raphaël, Architect, ABF, Haute-Marne SDAP Chief, Chaumont (52)
GEORGE Anne-Sophie, architect, Tourcoing
GENIN Francois-Xavier, Mexico
GIACOMAZZI Sylvain, Architect , Nancy
GIRARD Christine, Scenery Painter, Burey-la-Côte 55140
GODOLI Ezio, historian of architecture, Florence
GOEPFERT Joelle, Achitect, Buschwiller (68)
GOMEZ Anne, Professor, Lille
GOMEZ Monique, National Heritage Architect, Marseille
GOMIS Maria, translater, Barcelone
GRAF Frantz, architect and historian of architecture, Lausanne Geneva
GRANDVOINNET Philippe, architect, Geneva
GRIGNOLO Roberta, architect, Turin
GRIMOLDI Alberto, architect and historian of architecture, Milan
GROSS Yves, Architect D.E.N.S.A.I.S., Architecture & Buildings Service, Haguenau
GRUMBACH Didier, Paris, Chairman of Fédération française de la Couture, du Prêt-àPorter des Couturiers et des Créateurs de Mode, Chairman of Villa Noailles
Association.
GRUSON François, Architect DPLG, Professor at Ecole Nationale Supérieure
d'Architecture et de Paysage de Lille, Consultant Architect - Culture Ministry, Direction
of France Museums
GUILLAUME Chantal designer, La Gare - 70150 Brussey
GUILLAUME Pierre architecte, La Gare - 70150 Brussey
GUISECZA Anna, Professor, Lille
GUTFRIND Stéphane, Architecte, Mersch (Grand Duché de Luxembourg)
GUYOT François-Alexandre, Archivist Assistant
HAEGELI Isabelle, Architect D.P.L.G., Strasbourg (67)
HAMPÉ Françoise, Architect, Metz-Strasbourg
HARMAND Mathilde, architect, Nancy
HARTMANN SCHWEIZER Rahel, historian of architecture, Bern
HAUSERMANN Agnès, architect, Nancy
HENRY Guy, Town Planner, Paris
HOTELIER Marc, Architect, Thonon Hte-Savoie
HUS Thomas, architect, Paris.
JACQUILLARD Cédric, Student in Architecture, ESAN Nancy
JOYCE Roger A., Dip Arch(Cant) Dip Conservation (AA) RIBA IHBC AABC, member of
ICOMOS UK
JUNG, Wolfgang, Architecte et historien de l'architecture , Cologne - Frankfurt
JURG Degen, Town Planner, CH-Bâle, Switzerland
KLEIN Richard, architect and historian of architecture, Lille-Strasbourg
KLEINDIENST Anne, Architect, Head of Mission Landscape and Architecture, Parc
naturel régional des Ballons des Vosges
KLOPP Laurence, Architect, Reims
KOLB Jean-Luc, Architect and Town Planner , Lausanne (Suisse)
KOVAL Serge professor at ENSAP Lille
KOZIC Coralie, Architect, Metz
KRENZ Sylvia, Architect Stage-designer, Lausanne, Switzerland
KRISTO Elona, Architect and Town Planner, Landauer Studio, Paris (75)
LACOSTE François, Architect, Lille
LADEN-LE GUEN Valérie, Architect, ARLAB, Paris (75) – St-Nazaire (44
LA DURE Sylvie de, architec, Paris
LAMARCHE Bernard Professor Lille
LAMBERT-JAMES Stephane, Architect, London
LANDAUER Paul, architect, Paris
LANDRON Olivier, Architect, Paris
LAPIE Stéphane, Architect, Reims
LAUR Dominique, architect, Vaux (57)
LECOEUR Christelle, Architect, Sceaux
LEFEVRE Françoise, Architect D.P.L.G.- A.P., Avignon (84)
LEGAULT Réjean, architect and historian of architecture, Montréal
LE GUERN Jean-Rémy, architect ARLAB, Paris (75) – St-Nazaire (44)
LE GUEN Jean-Marc, architect ARLAB, Paris (75) – St-Nazaire (44)
LEMEITER Richard, Work Command Direction, Lille
LÉMONT Olivier, Architect, Reims
LEPKOWSKI Pawel, National Heritage Architect, Angoulême (16)
LEPORTOUX Loic, Architect, London
LEROY Ch., Architect, Nancy
LESAINT Ludovic, Architect, Nantes (44)
LINARD Clément ATC PLAN LIBRE, NANCY
LOUGUET Philippe, architect, professor at ENSAP Lille
LOUVION Aurelie, Architect, Barcelone
LUCAN Jacques, architect, criticist, Lausanne, Paris
LUSCHER Rodolphe, Architect, Town Planner, Lausanne, Switzerland
MARCHETTI Alix, Brussels
MARIN Jérôme, Architect, teacher, Lille Paris
MARQUES Dora, Architect, Lille
MARREY Bernard, historian of architecture and editor, Paris
MARSAL Lucie, architect, Vittel
MASSON Marié Céline architect, Lille
MATTHEY Dominique, Architect, Genève
MAURET Frédéric, Architect, Shanghai
MAURY Gilles, architect, Lille
MEDER Laurent, National Heritage Architect, Paris (75)
MELEMIS Steven, Architect, Senior Lecturer, ESA Grenoble
MENISSIER Bénédicte, Head of Mission, Nancy, CAUE de Meurthe-et-Moselle
METTAUD Yvan, architect, Saint-Etienne
MICHAUT Francois, student in architecture, Nancy
MILI Akel , Architect DPLG / RIBA part lll, London
MOITRY Dominique, architect, Nancy (54)
MÖLLER Andrea
MONNIER Gérard, historian of architecture, Paris
MONNIEZ Pascal, architect, Bruxelles
MORAND Olivier, Architect, Department Official, Geneva, Switzerland
MORIN Christian, Professor, ESA Clermont-Ferrand
MOTTE Patrick, Architect D.E.S.A., Town Planner, National Heritage Architect
(CESHCMA 1984-85), Redon (35)
MUCKENHIRN Alain, Architect, Le Raincy (93)
MUSSLIN Dominique, Town Planner OPQU, SFU PACA Vice Chairman, Urbanism
Director at Avignon Area Agency
NÉDONCHELLE Rose, Architect, Lille.
NEGRESCO Roméo, Architect, Paris
NORMANDIN Kyle C., US Representative, ISC - Technology, DOCOMOMO
International
NOVARINA françoise, Artist and Professor, ENSA, Grenoble
O'BYRNE Claire, Arras
O'BYRNE Tristan, architect, Lille
ORTLIEB Valérie, Architect EPFL, Vevey, Switzerland
OTT Christine, architect, Nancy
PACE Sergio, architect and historian of architecture, Turin
PAOLI Jean-Manuel, National Heritage Architect, Paris
PATTEEUW Véronique, Architecte/ Editor, Brussels
PERRIN Bénédicte, Student in Architecture, ESAN Nancy
PEYCERÉ David, XXth Century Architecture Archives, Cité de l’architecture et du
patrimoine/IFA, Paris
PIERREL Christian, Architect DPLG, Epinal/ Nancy
PIERRON Lucile, Student in Architecture, Nancy
PIRON Sylvain Architect, Paris
PLANKEELE Thomas, Architect and Town Planner, Lille-Paris
PLANTIN Claudine teacher, Lille
PLEUTIN Frédéric, architect, Beauvais.
POLLISSE Christian & HUMBERT Gérard, Architecture & Town Planning SCP, Nancy
(54)
POPESCU Carmen, Historian of Art and Architecture, Paris
PRADINES Chantal, Engineer ECP, Translations Analysis Synthèsis Editing, Germa,
English Swedish, Trampot (88)
PRESLE Christophe, Architect, Nancy (54)
PROT Gilles, architect, NANCY
RABIN, Kenneth, Designer, Thionville / Paris
REICHLIN Bruno, architect and historian of architecture, Geneva
RENAUDAT Jérôme, Architect, Lyon (69)
RICHTER Pascale, Architect, Nancy
ROSSEL Benoît, Film-maker, Paris
RUTH Catherine, architect, Nancy
SAINT-PIERRE Raphaelle, historian of architecture, Paris
SATTLER Line, Architect, Strasbourg (67)
SAUNIER Frédéric, architect and historian, Le Havre
SAUVAGE Marianne, Architect and State Town Planner, Amiens
SAUVÉ Fabien, Architect, Lille
SCHEFFLER Anne, Architect, Town of Reims
SCRIBOT David, Architect, Cavron Saint Martin (62 )
SENOT Bertrand Architect, Malzeville (54)
SERRA Raimondo, European Commission, Pékin
SIEFERT Guy, Architect D.P.L.G, Town Planner, Muséographe
SIMART Rémy, Architect, Saint-Dizier
SIMONNOT Nathalie, historian of architecture, Paris
SORRENTINO Vincent architect, Lille
STEINMETZ Nico, architect, Luxembourg
STERCKEMAN Thibault, Agronomist, Nancy
SUBTIL Benjamin, Architect, Lyon (69)
TANARI Pascal architect, Genève
TARRIEU Guy, Architect, Strasbourg (67)
THEILMANN Christophe, Architect Stage-designer, Nantes
THEIS Fabrice architect D.P.L.G., Thionville (57)
THILLEUL Karine, Student in Architecture, Nancy
THOMAS Anne, Architect, Nancy
THORETTON Jean-Pierre, National Heritage Architect, Ticho Studio, Chelles (77)
TINÉ Gérard artist, Senior Lecturer, ENSA Toulouse
TOURNEUX Camille, Nancy, architecte diplômable
TRASI Nicoletta, Architect, Roma
TRICHEREAU Antoine, architect, Nantes(44)
VANTORRE Céline, Architect, Programmiste, Villeneuve d'Ascq.
VAPAILLE Jean-Pierre, National Heritage Architect, PARIS 11e
VAUCHER Alexandre, Architect, Geneva, Switzerland
VÉNACQUE Axel, Architect, Lille
VOIRIOT Etienne, Landscape Gardener, Besançon
VOIRIOT Guillaume, doctor, 75012 Paris
VOIRIOT Mathilde, Nancy
ZULAICA Philippe, architect, Reims
ZULIANEL Jean-Jacques, Architect, Strasbourg (67)