"Major heritage" or energy sieve: the renovation of the Mouchotte building in Paris is divisive

"A true architectural, financial, ecological, and cultural disaster!" The residents' association Sauvons Mouchotte has launched an online petition calling on the Ministry of Culture to "urgently" list the building as a historical monument. The petition has garnered over 12.000 signatures since October 2025.

This long glass and metal building in the 14th arrondissement, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary, has 17 floors, 13 staircases, 753 apartments and some 2.500 residents.

Like the nearby Montparnasse tower, which was closed for renovations on March 31, the Mouchotte building, designed by Jean Dubuisson, architect of the National Museum of Popular Arts and Traditions in Paris, is typical of the 1960s style.

The building, equipped with single glazing and aluminium frames, has never been restored and is the subject of a renovation project for half of its façade.

This group of social housing originally has been divided, since 2017, into two parts managed differently: 8-20 rue du Commandant René-Mouchotte (436 dwellings belonging to individual owners), not concerned by the project, and number 26 of this street (317 apartments, of which 172 belong to the intermediate landlord In'li and the others to individual owners).

The 10.000 m² facade of number 26 needs renovation because, with an energy performance certificate (EPC) rating of F, it is considered an energy sieve. Without the work, the apartments will be unrentable in 2028.

Two projects were presented to the co-owners at the last general meeting in 2025: a "light" renovation and a "heavy" one, which would involve the total replacement of the facade identically with new materials.

"Major heritage"

Sauvons Mouchotte fears that In'li, with its 47% of voting rights, will favour this solution.

"This would be an aberrant decision," the association's founder, Nathalie Amar, who is also a lawyer, told AFP.

"The idea of ​​destroying the original aluminium facade to rebuild it identically, still in aluminium, is a huge ecological waste," she exclaimed one sunny morning in late March, on the slab at the foot of the building.

Furthermore, "the overall cost of the project, presented at 11 million euros, is largely underestimated according to many professionals" consulted by the association, who predict rather 25 to 30 million.

The association also questions the building's F energy performance certificate, since the "8-20", designed identically and never rebuilt either, is diagnosed as E.

Listing it as a historical monument would "safeguard this major architectural heritage", emphasizes Sauvons Mouchotte.

Michel Sebald, architect and resident of the building, has submitted an application for registration as a historical monument to the Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs of Ile-de-France.

In his living room on the 13th floor, with a spectacular view of Paris, he mentions the "exceptional features" of the current facade, where "there isn't a single spot of rust!"

"Summer is tough."

"Why tear everything down?", laments the architect, when "there are intelligent, minimal and inexpensive solutions".

Those opposed to a major renovation, who acknowledge that "it's hot in the summer" and "it's cold in the winter when it's windy", would prefer less invasive work.

"We can have a proper energy restoration by putting in the right elements, the right glazing, the right blinds, the VMC (ventilation system, editor's note)...", says Nadia Coutsinas, a 51-year-old archaeologist who has lived there since she was 6 years old.

In'li is "rather in favor" of a complete renovation of the facade, according to El Houssine Tabou, the landlord's local services director. He notes "significant discomfort throughout the year" which leads to "high energy consumption and charges".

If the building were listed as a historical monument, "it would redraw the lines a bit, perhaps the intervention techniques," he notes. "But architectural protection doesn't preclude energy efficiency improvements," he adds.

The association is now waiting for April 8 and the next general meeting of the co-owners of "8-20", to whom a project to replace their facade will also be presented.

If they oppose it, Sauvons Mouchotte will have an additional argument. "Can you imagine, visually, if we change the facade and they don't?", asks Nathalie Amar.