Le Monde Paris Building, France, Architect, Image, Architecture, Info, Date, Design French newspaper project by Du Besset-Lyon Architectes, Europe e-architect			World Architecture : index Architecture News World Buildings
Paris Le Monde Building HQ: Architecture Information + Images
Headquarters of Le Monde, rue Falguière 1990 Design: Du Besset-Lyon Architectes The geometry of the facades and the treatment of the light aim to express two ideas: on one hand, Le Monde is an institution, on the other, in its presentation, the newspaper is more preoccupied by content than form. Linking the top and bottom of the building in a single curve allowed maximum use of the 22 m height limit authorised, without breaking the facade into one vertical part and one part set back from the road. Thus the edifice stands out in a narrow street. The two curves of the facades on the two streets function together, and create a volume that expresses the content. The idea of content is also expressed by the light. At night, the entrance hall, rue Falguière, fills with blue light. By day, the light is reflected by the micromarbled glass texture of the yellow walls and the glass fragments in the floor. Only three metallic objects seem to float in this space: a serpent-shaped counter, an escalator, and six parallelepipeds which hang in a line under the ceiling. These hold the reference material of Le Monde. Leading directly from the escalator is the central patio, a cubic crossroads for the five editorial levels. Its six sides are glass: its cover is a glass roof, its walls are transparent partitions, one wall is built of glass bricks, and the floor is in blocks of unpolished glass. Le Monde Paris Building images / information from Du Besset-Lyon Architectes 040708 Paris Architecture Le Monde Paris HQ - Building Information: Headquarters of « Le Monde » to Paris Client : A. C. T. I. M. O. Site : 13 – 15 rue Falguière, Paris 15° (75) Competition : 1987 Program : - office space, - Documentation’s centre - lobby Constructions : June 1988 – January 1990 Surface area : 7 000 m² Cost : 11.74 M€ ht (77 MF ht) Team: Engineers: GII Villa Savoie French Architects Tour Signal Du Besset-Lyon Architectes Paris Architects World Architecture : e-architect - a guide to key buildings across the globe Comments / photos for the Le Monde Paris Architecture page welcome: info@e-architect.co.uk Le Monde Paris Building - page : adrian welch / isabelle lomholt			Buildings by this architect: n/a Buildings in the area: Eiffel Tower Pompidou Centre Paris Phare Tower Paris Key Links: New Houses Architecture Studios French Buildings Paris Buildings