Tour Aurore

Built in the early 1970s, under the direction of its owner the Mutuelles du Mans Assurances, the "first generation" of the Tour Aurore, is the result of a joint work between three architects: Claude Damery, Pierre Vetter and Gilbert Weil.

After only three decades of housing multiple businesses in its 27.000m² and a minor renovation of the common areas in 1993, Aurore was deserted by its last occupants in 1998. Contaminated with asbestos, the building was first removed from the toxic mineral in 2002.

Despite several bursts of recovery and potential projects, the tower was under the threat of demolition. Eventually, the British investment fund Aermont took ownership of the building and initiated, the renovation and extension of the tower, at the end of 2019.

Following this acquisition, VIGUIER has been chosen by Aermont to give new life to the sleeping beauty. They will be assisted by Sisto Studios which have imagined a pavilion adjacent to Aurore, replacing an old bank that will be completely destroyed.

With its 28 floors rising up to 90 meters, the new Tour Aurore integrates six additional levels. Consequently, the building is raised to 33 floors with a terrace reaching 119 meters high. A portion of the rooftop is transformed into a terrace open to the employees while another part will be adapted into a green rooftop.

Completely stripped of its orange facade and its white relief sills, Aurore's facade takes on a new cladding in glass veil, more widely glazed, tinted in black with stainless steel sills as a tribute to the old sills that distinguished Aurore.

At the bottom of the tower, the façade of the eight-level pavilion will be dressed with vertical sunshades. Designed as a lantern, this structure incorporates co-working spaces; a 4,500m² business center with a large auditorium open to the outside that can accommodate up to 230 seats. Emphasis is placed on the proximity of those who live and work in the vicinity with the creation of a drugstore and a skybar.

The raising of the Tour Aurore and the construction of the pavilion will significantly increase the surface area of ​​the property complex to 38,900 m², including 32,800 m² dedicated to offices. The two buildings will be connected by an “interior street” which will serve as a common reception hall.

This vast project is also the key element that allows the public institution Paris La Défense (PLD) to carry out another project: the recast of the slab at the base of Aurore by the agency Urbanica. The renovated Tour Aurore will display its most beautiful appearance to the skyline of La Défense at the end of 2021.

Quoted text from Adrien Teurlais, in Defense-92.fr (« Après vingt ans de déshérence, la tour Aurore va enfin revivre », 19.12.2019)

Program: offices and business
Assignment: renovation and elevation of the tour, interior design
Location: 18-19 place des Reflets, La Défense
Built area: 39.000 m²

Client: AERMONT
General contractor: VIGUIER
Architects: Sisto Studios
Project manager: ORFEO
Engineering firms: SETEC TPI (structure), ATYS Engineering (fluid), Bollinger Grohmann (facade), ACV (acoustic), Seulsoleil
Certifications: HQE, BREAM, International Well Building Institute, Wired Score