Realisation
Creation of a mosaic doorstep for a restaurant with a mixture of marble and smalti in gold. Art deco mosaic style for a 1930’s brewery in the Art Deco district of Reims, opposite the Boulingrin covered market (France).
Mosaic making
Mosaic artwork created on extruded polystyrene foam panels, delivered and installed in situ by Stuc & Mosaic studio.
Materials used
Gold smalts and marble. Tesseraes were cut with a hammer and hardie.
Mosaic dimension: approximately 4 m 2
Date of creation: 2013
Mosaic doorstep: recall to an Art-Deco period!
The renovation of one of the most famous brasseries in Reims is a reminder to the Belle Epoque!
Previously called ‘le Boulingrin’, in reference to the english game: the bowling green, this emblematic brasserie, which new name is ‘Brasserie les Halles’, from 1924, is located in a chic and trendy Art-deco area of Reims, facing the covered market ‘les Halles du Boulingrin’.
‘Les Halles de Reims’ have been designed by the architect Emile Maigrot (1880-1961) and the engineer Eugène Freyssinet (1879-1962).
The construction is now classified as a listed historical Monument. Totally renovated in 2012, the Boulingrin covered market’s architecture demonstrates a technical savoir-faire on the use of the reinforced concrete and thin vaults.
The covered market, architectural heritage from the 30’s, gave inspiration to the Brasserie’s owner on part of the today’s decoration; in particular for the marble mosaic doorstep.
The mosaic artwork creation:
A 4 square-meter elegant mosaic, made in July 2013, at the studio Stuc & Mosaic, for the welcoming entrance of this vast brasserie.
The main pattern, logo of the Brasserie, is a recall to the covered market’s grid layout. The mosaic is made out of botticino marble, black marble and travertino noce, in contrast with the shiny gold smalts used for the initials H and B.
The very beginning of the mosaic project : a sketch from a logo.
Creation of the mosaic on a light polystyrene support. This support will be, later on, glued onto the cement screed of the doorstep. Use of gold smalts (learn more on the making of gold smalts) for the Brasserie’s name lettering; in a different Art-Deco typography. Cleaning of the mosaic. Final packaging for the transport to Reims and mosaic installation on site!
The charm of the modern 30s is timeless and fits in perfectly into a contemporary decor. See this other colourful 30s retro mosaic artwork, as a recall to Isidore Odorico’s style.
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