At first glance, these entrances seem to transport us to the fictional city of Rapture, featured in the 2007 shooter game Bioshock. While these doors lead you to somewhere that can take you elsewhere, they are real.
Created by French architect Hector Guimard, a man celebrated for his artistry and social advocacies during his life. The artist was initially known for his work in Art Nouveau design, as well as for marketing his creations.
He published a set of hand-colored postcards to publicize his creations in 1903, with each card with his brand, so to speak. The cards had the mottoes Le style Guimard and Hector Guimard, Arch’te d’Art, which cemented his identity in the industry.
His creation of the lavish subway entrances of the Paris Metro was part of his concern for the working people. He saw the transportation system as a place where workers have the freedom of movement and a great place for socialization between different social classes.
Built around 1990, these archways were made from cast iron and cast glass. Guimard also developed a system of modular parts that worked like Legos, which can be easily assembled for different purposes.
In the present, these entrances are considered classic and a window to the past, but during their construction, it was considered radical and a shock to the masses. With its Art Nouveau asymmetry and plant-like curves, the working class was not used to such intricacy usually associated with the rich.
Image credit: Céline
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