Damiers de Bretagne

Damiers de Bretagne
Year built: 1976
Architects: Jacques Binoux and Michel Folliasson, with Abro and Henri Kandjian
Height: 48 m, 12 floors
Address: 13-17 place de Seine - 92400 Courbevoie
Nearest parking: Saisons
Nearest transportation: Esplanade de La Défense
The Damiers de Bretagne building, which comprises 90 apartments, is part of the Damiers real estate complex. In total, there are 640 apartments spread across four buildings. Although they vary in size, they were all designed according to the same plan: the stepped layout typical of the 1910s, which made a strong comeback in the 1960s thanks to the lifting of restrictions.
The problem of densification is solved by the installation of an exclusively pedestrian slab that conceals a parking lot with nearly 2,400 spaces. The pyramid-shaped volumes facilitate natural lighting down to the lower levels reserved for local shops. The 25,000 m² of facades are decorated with prefabricated concrete panels featuring a circular pattern in relief and recess.
A word about architects
Comrades from the Zavaroni workshop at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, Jacques Binoux and Michel Folliasson joined forces in 1960. Their agency quickly became one of the leading firms in France, designing large-scale facilities as well as housing and offices. The duo was notably responsible for the Paris-Pleyel business center in Saint-Denis.
Originally from Istanbul, Abro Kandjian founded his agency in 1936. One of the most prolific architects in post-war Paris, he became a naturalized citizen in 1942, the year his son was born, with whom he went into partnership in 1970.
The four architects designed a large part of the Quartier des Saisons district, including the Allianz-Neptune tower, Les Damiers, the Citadines residences, Fraser Suites Harmonie, and the Ibis and Novotel hotels.