La Grande Arche
La Grande Arche, or Grande Arche de la Defense, is a monument building in western Paris, France. It is almost a perfect cube – 108 m wide, 110 m high and 112 m deep.
In 1982, a national design competition was launched by President Mitterrand. The winning design, by the Danish architect Johann Otto von Spreckelsen and Danish engineer Erik Reitzel, was intended to be a late-20th century version of the Arc de Triomphe; one that celebrated humanity rather than military victories. The construction of the building was completed in 1989.
The building consists of a prestressed concrete frame and twelve concrete pillars. In between the pillars and the megastructure are a series of plates to absorb vibration. The frame is covered with 350,000 slabs of Carrara marble and 2,800 opaque glass panels.
Its form is turned at a precise angle of 6.33° about the vertical axis. This was done for technical reasons, in that transport stations and a motorway are directly beneath the Arche. In addition, the turn emphasises the depth of the monument.
Government offices are contained inside the two sides of the building, while the roof section was originally a Computing Museum and exhibition centre. However, In 2010, the museum was closed, along with public access to the roof’s viewing deck. A reopening is planned for May 2017.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Building of the week series.
- Buildings of the EU.
- CCTV Headquarters.
- Edificio Mirador.
- Eiffel Tower.
- Gas Natural Headquarters, Barcelona.
- Gate of Europe.
- Gate to the East.
- Ministry of Transportation Building, Georgia.
- Tempe Municipal Building.
- The Atomium.
- The Louvre.
- Unusual building design of the week.
Featured articles and news
Ending decades of frustration, misinformation and distrust.
Essential tools in managing historically significant landscapes.
Classroom electrician courses a 'waste of money'
Say experts from the Electrical Contractors’ Association.
Wellbeing in Buildings TG 10/2025
BSRIA topic guide updates.
With brief background and WELL v2™.
From studies, to books to a new project, with founder Emma Walshaw.
Types of drawings for building design
Still one of the most popular articles the A-Z of drawings.
Who, or What Does the Building Safety Act Apply To?
From compliance to competence in brief.
The remarkable story of a Highland architect.
Commissioning Responsibilities Framework BG 88/2025
BSRIA guidance on establishing clear roles and responsibilities for commissioning tasks.
An architectural movement to love or hate.
Don’t take British stone for granted
It won’t survive on supplying the heritage sector alone.
The Constructing Excellence Value Toolkit
Driving value-based decision making in construction.
Meet CIOB event in Northern Ireland
Inspiring the next generation of construction talent.
Reasons for using MVHR systems
6 reasons for a whole-house approach to ventilation.