Pantin is home to one of Paris’ most popular, eye-blasting graffiti spots, an abandoned grain warehouse circa 1930 that has sustained severe internal injuries. With most of its windows long since knocked out, the site is regularly visited by taggers who hop the fence to spray, scribble and splash all over its surface. Its multitiered balconies and modular bays make it especially delightful for street artists; to joggers who use the nearby path for their weekend runs, it’s hallucinogenic eye candy.
But the rainbow-streaked warehouse is nearing the end of its life. Come 2014, the wrecking ball will visit the building to make way for a mixed-use development featuring a hotel and, uhm, gondolas.
» Say Goodbye to One of the Most Popular Graffiti Spots Near Paris, The Atlantics Cities.
Looked at more closely, it is clear that there was some architectural genius at work here, even if the name of the person or persons responsible has been lost in time. Resolutely modernist in form, it also offers a few art deco flourishes, mainly in the curved balconies that surround the building.
» Urban exploration in Pantin, Invisible Paris (+ des photos).