Towering above us, what stories could the Tour Antoine et Cléopâtre tell if it could speak? This apartment building is not just another structure. It’s a landmark with a unique story.
Let’s delve into the history of this impressive building. The Tour Antoine et Cléopâtre is located in Paris’s 13th arrondissement. More precisely, it’s at 189, Avenue de Choisy. Its construction dates back to around 1974. It stands tall with 38 floors. The building reaches a height of 104 meters.
The Tour Antoine et Cléopâtre is part of a larger urban initiative. This initiative is known as Opération Italie 13. It aimed to renovate areas around Avenue d’Italie deemed unsanitary in the 1960s. The renovation followed Le Corbusier’s Athens Charter principles. The plan envisioned about fifty towers with around thirty floors each. Ultimately, only about thirty were built.
Michel Holley designed the Tour Antoine et Cléopâtre. The tower is divided into two named sections. The lower part is named Antoine. The upper part is named Cléopâtre. This division gives the building its distinctive identity.
The tower features a three-story shopping center at its base. Above the commercial space, there are 35 floors of apartments. Inside, the apartments are symmetrical. They share an identical layout on each floor. The design centers around a core that houses the circulation areas. Due to the building’s thickness, kitchens and bathrooms receive borrowed light. Living rooms offer great views. They extend onto loggias.
Originally, four more towers were planned for the same site as the Tour Antoine et Cléopâtre. However, these additional towers were never built. Valéry Giscard d’Estaing became President. He stopped all high-rise building projects in Paris. A height limit of 37 meters was imposed on all new constructions.
Interestingly, the Tour Antoine et Cléopâtre has a swimming pool on its top floor. Imagine swimming high above Paris. The first residents moved in 1977.
The entrance hall opens onto an elevated platform level. A gallery cuts through the ground floor. It connects Avenue d’Italie to Avenue de Choisy.
The Tour Antoine et Cléopâtre remains a prominent feature of the Parisian skyline. It is a testament to the architectural ambitions of its time. It embodies a unique blend of residential and commercial space. The tower offers a living experience unlike any other in Paris. The Tour Antoine et Cléopâtre stands as a symbol of Parisian architectural innovation. It is a proud landmark in the 13th arrondissement.