The Maison de La Défense is one of the lowest and longest (250 m) buildings in the business district. While most buildings serve as gateways, the challenge here is to frame the esplanade, hence the portico providing a pedestrian link between the forecourt and the Place de la Coupole. The simplicity of the building's volumes is enhanced by bold molding with lacquered cast aluminum troughs framing the semi-reflective glass. The glazing is designed to reflect the shapes and colors of Calder's Red Spider. The ensemble thus evokes the minimalist work of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and the systemic work of Jean Dubuisson.

Before becoming an architect, Henri La Fonta first tried his hand at sculpture and painting. However, his training at the École Camondo led him to architecture. He gained his first experience in 1951 in Morocco as a collaborator, then returned to Paris in the 1960s. There, he worked for several design offices.

In 1977, he founded his own agency, which quickly made a name for itself thanks to the creativity and conceptual rigor he demonstrated in his work. In La Défense, Henri La Fonta was the main instigator of the office building revival in the 1980s. The business district also owes him Les Miroirs and the Pascal and Voltaire towers.