The Grande Arche de la Défense
Otto Von Spreckelsen, Paul Andreu architecte. Paris, France
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Name of work in English
The Grande Arche de la Défense
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Name of work in original language
La Grande Arche de la Défense
Prize year
EUmies Awards 1990
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Work Location
Paris, France
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Studio
Otto Von Spreckelsen, Paul Andreu architecte
EUmies Awards 1990 Shortlisted
Collaborators
Architect: Paul Andreu , Peter Rice
Program
Office
Completion
1989
La Grande Arche was designed in 1983 by the Danish architect Johan Otto Von Spreckelsen (with Paul Andreu and Peter Rice) whose project was selected during an international contest launched at the initiative of the French president François Mitterand. On July 14th 1989, the monument was inaugurated during the 15th G7 summit at the occasion of the bicentenary of the French revolution. On August 27th, the Toit de la Grande Arche opens its doors to the public. La Grande Arche is almost a perfect white cube which is 110m high (about 361ft), 108m wide (about 354ft) and 112m deep (about 367ft). Its central empty space could easily contain the cathédrale de NotreDame de Paris. Three hectares of white marble were necessary to cover the two sides of this 300,000 tons monument resting on twelve pillars. The two sides house 87,000m² of offices, on which a 30,000 tons roof is resting.