MINISTRY OF DEFENCE —
BALARD SITE
PARIS
FRANCE, 2010
INSTITUTION
PR–407
Launched in July 2009, the project of the new Ministry of Defence aims to group the headquarters of the armed forces within a new part of the city on the outskirts of Paris.
GALLERY
032
PROGRAM
Construction of the new Ministry of Defence in Paris aimed at bringing together, on a 16.5 hectare site, the headquarters and central services of the three armed forces — land, air and navy — representing approximately 10,000 people.
DETAIL
Situation
Boulevard Général Martial Valin, Paris, France
Year
2010
Status
International competition
Site area
16,5 ha
Built surface
Ministry of Defence, Paris
Client
Dominique Perrault Architecte
DESCRIPTION
Beyond this strategic challenge, the ambition is to design a public architecture befitting this major institution while contributing to the urban transformation of the capital. The project is organized around two complementary dimensions: a military district and an urban district.
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The military quarter unfolds like a contemporary fortification inspired by Vauban’s fortifications, protected by a metal mesh armor. A large interior gallery structures the entire complex and connects the various functions through a network of circulation spaces, while the Cour Carrée, dominated by the Rotunda, forms the institution’s nerve center. At the same time, the complex is designed as a neighborhood open to the city.
The perimeter, punctuated by gateways and openings, links Auguste Perret’s building to the Cité de l’Air and reveals new spaces—esplanades, streets, gardens, and public squares—that extend the tradition of Parisian urban planning. On this scale, the project contributes to the dialogue between Paris and its periphery and is fully integrated into the dynamics of Greater Paris.
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