T1 Tower, Paris, France

Tour T1 towers over Europe’s largest business district
Designed by French architectural firm Valode and Pistre, the T1 Tower is now complete. Situated in La Défense, the high-rise business district west of Paris, the tower has a floor area of 70,000 sq m and features restaurants, meeting rooms and underground parking to support the office space within.

Valode and Pistre describe the T1 as having been "conceived as a folded glass plate, 200 metres high, cut by an arc on its north face. The distinctive profile changes according to one’s vantage point and assures the tower’s insertion within the surrounding context. Seen from the south, the tower appears as a ship’s bow, a vertical element and a complement to the skyline of the La Défense business district. Seen from the east and west, T1 is perceived as a large sail, its curving form providing transition to the lower scale of the adjoining neighbourhood. The image given by the north façade is one of a tall staircase, climbing to the sky and disappearing as the façade curves out of view. The tower’s configuration allows for large floor plates and panoramic views, associating spatial quality, efficiency and the latest building services.”

Tour T1 is part of La Défense's once again expanding business quarter, which is now the largest purpose-built business district in Europe.


Jo Livesey
Reporter
source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com
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