Paris (AFP)
The Louise-Catherine barge, renovated by Le Corbusier and Japanese architect Kunio Maekawa, is threatened by the rising waters of the Seine, south-east of Paris, AFP said on Thursday.
Moored near the Austerlitz viaduct, in the 13th arrondissement, the ferro-cement barge, classified as a cultural heritage, was bought in October 2020 by the Japanese Association for Architectural Design (Adan), which is fighting for a reopening in 2023 as a museum.
"As it is a reinforced concrete barge, if it hits the quay, it's the barge that gives way," warned Junko Koga, general secretary of Adan, interviewed by AFP.
In 2018, the barge had already sunk within twenty minutes after hitting the quay during a spectacular flood.
"We are trying to appeal for donations and subsidies. We are trying to contact the Fondation de France. We would like to have partnerships or sponsorships that help us or who want to work together on this project," he said. he adds.
The Louise-Catherine, built in 1915, was used until 1994, after its redevelopment by Le Corbusier in 1929, as a floating asylum, with a social restaurant and 160 beds during winter periods, under the management of the Army of Hello.
She had taken the name "Louise-Catherine" in homage to the Swiss painter Louise-Catherine Breslau.
© 2021 AFP