From "Fridges" to hot architecture

If you walk to Gare d'Austerlitz, you won't miss the fluorescent green glass wave dominating the River. This weird building has been conceived by the Jakob + MacFarlane agency. Docks en Seine will soon welcome a Fashion school, the Cité de la Mode et du design (Fashion and Design complex), as well as shops and restaurants.

On rue de Tolbiac, take rue des Frigos. The Frigos (i.e. the Fridges) are former refrigerator warehouses. As you can notice from the frescoes and graffiti, they now welcome art workshops. You can try to check if there is an exhibition running on. It also organizes talks and open day events (in May).

Walk down to quai Panhard et Levassor. You'll see the beautiful structure of the former Parisian mills (Les Grands Moulins de Paris). Dating back from the Twenties, the mills (and the adjoining corn exchange market) are the very rare remnants of the history of the district. They now welcome a university - the renovation has been done by Rudy Ricciotti and Nicolas Michelin. The ground floor of the former corn exchange market is also home to Bétonsalon, a dynamic interdisciplinary cultural centre.

If you want to discover some more French architecture, don't miss the Maison Planeix, of Le Corbusier fame, at n°26 boulevard Masséna. This concrete square builiding is one of the very rare examples of a townhouse from the famous French architect.

Another great French architect has played a great role in the area: check the social estates conceived by Christian de Portzamparc on rue de Tolbiac, and turn on rue des Hautes-Formes to discover the white buildings.