Suelos en espera: historia de la sala de pasos perdidos en arquitectura

The text analyses the role of the floor in the Salle des pas perdus (Hall of Lost Steps) as an element that defines the space, the circulation and how it relates to the body, demonstrating that this is a place which receives a moment of waiting in architecture. This article explores the meaning and the importance of its origin and its historical evolution. Since its appearance in 17thcentury French palatial architecture right up to its 20th-century transformation into a public space, the hall of lost steps shaped a formal way of accessing places of power where walking with no particular direction is more than just symbolic. The article looks at how it affects users, as a space for transition, meeting and communication between various social and political players. The article rounds off with a critical evaluation of the hall of lost steps up to the first third of the 20th century, highlighting signs of their progressive dissolution as great halls, to the present day.