Building resembling a jewel

The Paris shopping center, and especially its La Défense district, has recently gained a new impressive landmark. This is the newly reconstructed office building from the 1970s, which has started to be nicknamed the black pearl. The origin of this designation is quite clear: the black cloak of the building, which adorns the distinctive copper-colored roof as a symbolic cherry on top. The elegant appearance of the "pearl" is particularly attributed to the folded roofing from PREFA Aluminiumprodukte.

photo: Croce & WIR

Doing Things My Way

The first project of architect Vincent Eschalier was not a work of art, but a rugby stadium. While designing it, Vincent did not follow the advice of professors at all, but did everything as he deemed right. This approach, doing things his own way, has guided his entire professional life. His career began to pick up pace right after graduation, so the dream offer came when he was just twenty-six. "Thanks to my then-employer, I saw part of the world and got acquainted with the work of architects from Hong Kong to Sydney, Australia." With the contacts and experiences he gathered abroad, he subsequently opened his own architectural studio. The very first commission he worked on after becoming independent was very prestigious – he was to design an art gallery in Paris.

In the Sign of Five

The buildings in the heart of Paris's business world set high standards for representation. They must be elegant, attract attention, and offer a touch of extravagance. French architect Vincent Eschalier was very aware of all this when reconstructing the building. From the very beginning, his project was literally haunted by the magical number five. "The project had to be completed within five months, and we had to strictly operate within a budget of five million euros. Additionally, the building's outer skin had a total area of 500 square meters," Eschalier comments on his challenging task with a smile. As is often the case, his project did not run smoothly from the start either. However, the talented Frenchman managed to cope with everything in the end.

photo: Croce & WIR

Less Horizontal, More Vertical

At first glance, it was clear that the entire structure was conceived more horizontally than vertically, which did not visually appeal. "My main goal was to raise the building's perception of height. I didn't want to achieve verticality through any extensions; I just wanted the building to appear to rise optically. Therefore, I decided that the building's outer skin would be made of black sails, which would create the desired visual effect," the architect further comments on his project.

The Best Is at the Top

Although the exterior of the building had been decided, something substantial was still missing for the entire structure to achieve absolute perfection. The proverbial final touch turned out to be the roof, which was to serve not only as a technical space but also as a welcoming area for those who spend most of their time in the building. "After long consideration, I decided to hide the technical facilities beneath a special wooden structure and build a triangular extension above it, which would dominate the reconstructed building. If the roof was to be a landmark, then the choice of material had to match its uniqueness. I found a completely unique roofing in PREFA's folded templates 29×29 in copper color," the architect continues. This resulted in not only a striking landmark of the building but also a comfortable terrace that offers visitors an unusually beautiful view of the historic center of Paris, not to mention the Eiffel Tower.

photo: Croce & WIR

A Building That Doesn't Age

No aging, no wear and tear… that was exactly the next challenge that Eschalier had to tackle during the reconstruction. "In this respect, aluminum proved to be the right and truly timeless material. It can maintain its color stability even after years and is characterized by a long lifespan, which is key for any investor. Moreover, it is unaffected by weather conditions, and an added bonus is the easy handling and work with aluminum templates. Thanks to this, we were able to create a roof that visitors and residents of the district will admire for decades to come," the architect concludes.

About the Project

Project Name: Blackpearl
Object, Location: office building, Courbevoie, France
Type of Construction: new building
Architects: Studio Vincent Eschalier Implementation: Parisis Rénovation, Philippe Battais
Type of Roof: PREFA folded roofing template 29 × 29
Roof Color: special custom color
PHOTOGRAPHY: Croce & WIR