Its imposing and elegant silhouette in the heart of the city, emblematic of the Art Deco style of the 1930s, concretizes the union of Boulogne and Billancourt. Commissioned by André Morizet, then mayor of the unified city, and designed by architect Tony Garnier, the city hall celebrates its 90th anniversary this year. To mark this anniversary, an exhibition* highlights its history and architectural heritage within the building itself.
Already labeled 20th Century Heritage, the building is in the process of being classified as a Historic Monument by the Ministry of Culture. Educational, fun and scientific at the same time, the exhibition offers, among other things, archival documents, some of the original Art Deco furniture, a manipulatable model as well as an augmented reality experience.
Visitors can explore a reconstruction of the neighborhood, scenes of daily life, period photographs and documents as well as interactive modules: historical aerial view, Lego model, giant goose game, etc. Festive sequences such as concerts or tavern afternoons complete the immersion.
Practical rather than sumptuary
Let's return to the history of the reinforced concrete building. As early as 1919, André Morizet was convinced of the need to build a new town hall. The villa in the heart of the current Léon-Blum Square is no longer enough for a town which has nearly 90,000 inhabitants.
During a study trip to Belgium, members of the municipal council discovered the town hall of the town of Schaerbeek, near Brussels. “The interior layout, which brings together all the counter services in a large monumental hall, impressed them so much that they wanted to adopt the idea for the Boulogne-Billancourt town hall,” says the municipality.
Impressed by the achievements of the architect Tony Garnier, André Morizet decided in December 1925 to propose its construction to him with a few simple instructions: air, daylight, the sumptuary sacrificed to the practical. In 1926, Garnier submitted a first project. The two parallelepipeds visible today are already present with their respective destinations: in one, the municipal services, in the other, the halls of honor and the municipal council room. The architect, never satisfied, proposed up to eleven versions before ratification of the final project by the municipal council in 1931.
Work finally begins under the direction of architect Jacques Debat-Ponsan, support of Tony Garnier. The chosen location was ultimately located at the crossroads of Gallieni and Paul-Bert streets, on land occupied by a vast sand quarry. The town hall will be inaugurated on December 15, 1934.
*On the ground floor of city hall, at 26, avenue André-Morizet. Until April 12, 2025, Monday to Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 7:15 p.m., Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. and Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. FREE ENTRANCE.
