Bâtiment de la Compagnie française d'Aviation
MonumentHidden Treasure
Bâtiment de la Compagnie française d'Aviation, located in Angers (Maine-et-Loire), is a historic monument. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Location
- Angers, Maine-et-Loire, Pays de la Loire
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 47.4924, -0.5768
- Mérimée Reference
- PA49000042
Joyau moderniste de l'entre-deux-guerres, cet ancien aérodrome-école angevin conjugue béton armé, mosaïques Odorico et une tour de contrôle sculpturale — témoin rare de l'âge d'or de l'aviation civile française.
History
Erected on the outskirts of Angers on the eve of the Second World War, the Compagnie française d'Aviation building is one of the few remaining reminders of the civil aviation epic of the 1930s. Its elongated silhouette, punctuated by a central portico topped by a control tower, embodies the ambition of an era that saw aviation as the promise of a new world. This is not a medieval castle or a royal palace, but something just as precious: the architectural memory of a dream of modernity. What sets this building apart from the great mass of French industrial heritage is the attention paid to the quality of the interior decoration. The floor mosaic by Odorico - a nationally-renowned Rennes studio - transforms what could have been a functional waiting room into a veritable aesthetic manifesto. The porcelain stoneware floors, the finely designed metal joinery and the central figure in moulded concrete bear witness to a client as concerned with representation as with efficiency. A visit to the building is a striking experience for those who appreciate Art Deco architecture and the Modern Movement. The symmetrical composition of the building, clear from the moment you approach it, gradually reveals its richness: the control tower dominates the whole with sober authority, while the interior displays an ornamental grammar that is rare in this type of programme. Visitors with a passion for the history of the air will rediscover the atmosphere of the airfields used by Aéropostale. Located in the Anjou urban area, the site is part of a region that has been active in regional aeronautics since the inter-war years. Listed as a Historic Monument in 2004, the building now benefits from heritage recognition that guarantees its preservation for future generations.
Architecture
The architecture of the Compagnie française d'Aviation building is fully in keeping with the Modern Movement of the 1930s, as expressed in the institutional and industrial programmes of the period. The building extends lengthways on a symmetrical plan, the composition of which is ordered by a central portico housing the main staircase. This portico is crowned by a control tower, which is the dominant vertical feature of the whole building - a landmark in the landscape, reminding us of the site's aeronautical vocation while giving the building a monumental presence. The reinforced concrete structure, characteristic of the modern programmes of the inter-war period, allows for wide-open façades thanks to a series of metal joineries. The asphalt roof terraces, in line with the principles advocated by the architectural avant-garde, contribute to the horizontal legibility of the volume. The palette of materials - concrete, metal, porcelain stoneware - is that of an assertive modernity, far removed from contemporary regionalist compromises. However, the richness of the monument lies in its interiors. The central figure in moulded concrete, positioned in the axis of symmetry, introduces a sculptural and representative dimension that elevates the programme beyond simple functional equipment. The floor mosaic, created by the Odorico studio, is the centrepiece of the décor: geometric or figurative compositions in coloured tesserae, in the tradition of the French decorative arts that shone at the 1937 International Exhibition. The porcelain stoneware floors complete this ornamental ensemble of exceptional quality for a building of this nature.
Related Figures
Architecte Bricard — concepteur du bâtiment, maître d'œuvre de la construction (1938-1939)Isidore Odorico — fondateur de l'atelier rennais de mosaïque dont les créations ornent les sols du bâtimentAdolphe Odorico — successeur à la tête de l'atelier Odorico, actif dans la période de réalisation des mosaïquesDirigeants de la Compagnie française d'Aviation — commanditaires de l'édifice et acteurs de l'aviation civile régionale des années 1930
Tags
Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Bâtiment de la Compagnie française d'Aviation located?
Bâtiment de la Compagnie française d'Aviation is located in Angers, Maine-et-Loire department, Pays de la Loire region, France.
Is Bâtiment de la Compagnie française d'Aviation open to visitors?
Bâtiment de la Compagnie française d'Aviation is currently closed to visitors.
