Soins : Art Deco houses and Reconstruction
How the history of the city still reads in its facades, streets and houses
At Soissons, some facades tell much more than an architectural era. They reflect the shock of the First World War, a city to be rebuilt and an amazing variety of aesthetic choices. To observe these houses is to understand why the Soisson residential heritage is not a unique style.
A deeply transformed city after 1918
World War I changed Soissons' face. According to archives published by the City, about 80 per cent of the city was destroyed in 1918 and some 2,000 houses had disappeared. The first priority was to house the inhabitants, restore services and restore economic activity.
Town planning also changed: enlarged streets, reworked alignments, clearing monuments and new squares. This story is essential when we look today a house in the city center. A facade dating back to the 1920s not only tells the taste of its builder; It is part of a collective reconstruction project.
Conversely, an older home that survived the destruction represents another stratum of the residential landscape.
Art Deco and Reconstruction: two different notions
The term « Reconstruction » means a period and an immense urban process; « Art Deco » describes an aesthetic language. All constructions built after 1918 are therefore not Art Deco.
Some preserve classic codes, others adopt more geometric lines, new decorations or modern materials. To recognize an Art Deco influence, one can look at the drawing of ironwork, the stylization of floral motifs, the geometry of the facade, the reliefs of the concrete or the composition of the bays.
None of these clues taken in isolation is enough to date or allocate a building. The reading of the frame must remain cautious: changes in front, rallies, replaced windows and elevations complicate interpretation.
The Egyptian House, a remarkable example
At 22 rue du Collège, the Egyptian House is one of the most unique examples of Reconstruction. The City of Soissons attributed its architecture to André Perrin and explained that its decoration, known since 1925, was inspired by Egyptomania in vogue after the discovery of Tutankhamon's tomb in 1922.
The façade combines mosaics, Egyptian motifs, reliefs, balconies and ironwork. The municipality also recalls the participation of the Mazzioli brothers in the decoration.
This building should not be presented as the standard model of the Art Deco sousonnaise house: its singularity is precisely what makes it interesting. Rather, it provides an excellent invitation to look up and observe the other facades of the city.
How to read a facade of the 1920s and 1930s?
Let's start with the general silhouette: symmetry or asymmetry, window rhythm, number of levels and transition between trade and housing. Then look at the details: frames, cornices, bricks, stone, decorative concrete, guardrails and doors.
Finally, try to understand the environment: the width of the track, the alignment of neighbours and the shape of the plots. The houses of Reconstruction often combine urban ambition and pragmatic responses to the needs of the time.
A sober facade can conceal remarkable materials; A very decorated facade may have undergone interior transformations. For a purchaser, the architectural interest must always be linked to the real state of the building.
Houses, shops and buildings: a mixed heritage
The identity of the Soissons centre is also based on the mixing of functions. In some streets, the commercial ground floor participates in the composition of facades, while the floors house housing.
The City cites a construction of Rue Saint-Martin, rehabilitated for commercial activity, as an illustration of the architecture of Reconstruction. Individual houses, report buildings and mixed buildings must therefore be distinguished: they do not have the same use, the same constraints or the same methods of valorisation.
This variety makes the subject exciting, but prohibits rapid generalizations on surfaces or prices.
Why is this heritage of interest in real estate?
A house with authentic architectural details can be seduced by its personality, volumes and history. However, it would be abusive to assign him an automatic surcote.
The value also depends on the precise location at Soissons, the state of the roof, energy performance, interior distribution, brightness and exterior spaces. A carefully restored decor does not remove any technical needs.
Conversely, a sober renovation respecting the original proportions can make the property particularly pleasant to live. The right approach is to explain the remarkable elements and confront them with the reality of the market.
Restore without deleting character
Before replacing carpentry or covering a facade, it is better to understand what makes its identity. Interventions on an old building may raise issues of materials, moisture, insulation and urban planning; In some areas, they may also be subject to heritage protection.
A check with the planning department and, if necessary, with the architect of the Bâtiments de France must precede the work. It is often preferable to document existing details and solicit professionals accustomed to the old building.
Modernizing comfort does not mean that the history of the building must disappear.
Soissons, a city to discover at facade height
The Soisonian heritage is not only that of its great monuments. It also reads on a street scale, in the quality of alignments and rebuilt houses.
The old and the new coexist sometimes in the same island. The walker can thus observe details of the daily that complement the official narratives about war and reconstruction.
For older homeowners, this knowledge of context can inform the maintenance and presentation of their property. For buyers, it makes it possible to distinguish a simple style effect from a truly documented architectural quality.
- City of Soissons — The Egyptian House
- City of Soissons — Let's do it on November 11, 1918
- City of Soissons — Reconstruction Monument
Sources consulted in October 2026. The evolving data and rules must be verified on the date of the project.
CLOVIS immo, your agency in Soissons since 2006
You own an old house in Soissons? Understanding its architecture and transformations also helps prepare its estimate and, in due course, its presentation to buyers.
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