Michelet Galilée

Michelet Galilée

Year of construction: 1986
Architects: Gino Valle, Fernando Urquijo and Giorgio Macola
Surface area: 34,000 sq.m
Height: 30 m, 9 floors
Former names: Alstom; Galileo

Address: 51 cours Michelet - 92800 Puteaux
Nearest car park: Michelet
Nearest public transport: Esplanade de La Défense

Totally independent, Michelet Galilée nevertheless adopts the same architectural spirit as Allianz Acacia and the Sofitel La Défense. The building stands out from the neighbouring towers by its size but also by its very Parisian appearance. The austerity of its structure is compensated by a play of angles in the rotunda and a wide opening of the hall on the esplanade.
In association with Vittorio Gregotti, Fernando Urquijo designs all the individual work spaces. The quality of the interior environment is then achieved by simplifying the furniture, made with a single type of wood.

A word about architects

Gino Valle (1923-2003) is one of the most important figures in post-war Italian architecture. A disciple of Carlo Scarpa and Walter Gropius, he was mainly influenced by the work of Franck Lloyd Wright.
Mainly active in the Venice region, he joined forces with Giorgio Macola, with whom he designed the Padua courthouse and the residences of the Giudecca in Venice. In 1985, the duo opened an office in Paris with Fernando Urquijo, an Argentinean architect known for IBM's architecture program. They thus led the renovation of the Édouard VII block in the 8th arrondissement of Paris.
In La Défense, the team creates the Allianz Acacia building and the Sofitel La Défense. Fernando Urquijo and Giorgio Macola are also participating, with Jean Willerval, in the construction of the Descartes Tower for IBM.

Michelet Galilée

  • Michelet Galilée
  • Michelet Galilée
  • Michelet Galilée