Cœur Défense is one of the defining architectural landmarks of La Défense, the major business district west of central Paris. Completed in 2001 and designed by architect Jean-Paul Viguier, the complex occupies a prominent position along the historic east-west axis extending from the Louvre through the Champs-Élysées and towards the Grande Arche. Located in Courbevoie, immediately outside the administrative boundary of Paris, Cœur Défense is one of the largest office developments in Europe, providing approximately 350,000 square metres of total floor area.
The development is distinguished by its composition of two slender, rounded twin towers rising approximately 160 metres above La Défense, together with three lower buildings arranged around a vast central atrium. The towers contain 40 floors each, while the lower buildings rise to approximately nine floors. Rather than designing another massive, deep office tower, Jean-Paul Viguier deliberately developed a slimmer building typology, allowing workspaces to remain close to the façades and benefit from natural daylight. The rounded ends of the towers are among the complex’s most recognisable architectural characteristics and give Cœur Défense a softer profile against the dense La Défense skyline.
23 MB
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.