La Défense: Topographic Views
Gilchrist, Scott
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Date
2001Description
Aerial view on axis from the top of the Grande Arche, depicting the public space in the heart of La Defense called La Place de la Défense; In September 1958, The Public Establishment for Installation of La Défense (EPAD) was created by the state to manage and bring life to the quarter. La Défense began designing itself: the first buildings (of which the Esso Tower was the very first) were built and began to slowly replace the city's factories, shanties, and even a few farms. The Center of New Industries and Technologies (CNIT) was built and first used in 1958. These "first generation" skyscrapers were all very similar in appearance, limited to a height of 100 meters. In 1966, the Nobel Tower was the first office building built in the area. After a stagnation in new development in the mid-1990s La Défense is once again expanding and is now the largest purpose-built business district in Europe. Source: Wikipedia; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page (accessed 2/8/2008)
Type of Work
photograph; topographical viewSubject
architectural exteriors, business, commerce and trade, cityscapes, contemporary (1960 to present), City planning, urban renewal, Twenty-first century
Rights
Rights Statement
Licensed for educational and research use by the MIT community only