Backgrounds - How it all began...
Monument by Barrias
La Défense, one of the biggest office locations in Europe, is located in the north-west of Paris, in the departement Hauts-de-Seine. Consequently, is is still part of the `petite couronne` and close to the city of Paris. The planning of La Défense on the rundown area of the suburbs Puteaux, Courbevoie and Nanterre destroyed the idea of functionally decentralizing the capital region (see map on the bottom).
La Défense got its name from the bronze statue "La Dèfense de Paris 1870-1871" by Louis Ernest Barrias (see picture on the left).
In the midst of the 20th century, namely in the late 1950s, the planning of La Défense began.
The foundation of this new part of the city was necessary due to several reasons:
1. The location of Paris within the European city network. Paris is located in the frindge
of the so called "blue banana" - an economic zone including London, Brussles, Frankfurt/Main, Stuttgart, Munich and Milan.
2. Paris has high housing prices
3. Need of a modern service infrastructure
4. Changed requirements concerning the standards of offices on the companies` site
5. Discharge of the central city of Paris as the traditional office district
6. No modern city centre as the CBDs in the United States
The overall purpose was to remain able to compete economically within the European city network as a metropolis.
La Défense got its name from the bronze statue "La Dèfense de Paris 1870-1871" by Louis Ernest Barrias (see picture on the left).
In the midst of the 20th century, namely in the late 1950s, the planning of La Défense began.
The foundation of this new part of the city was necessary due to several reasons:
1. The location of Paris within the European city network. Paris is located in the frindge
of the so called "blue banana" - an economic zone including London, Brussles, Frankfurt/Main, Stuttgart, Munich and Milan.
2. Paris has high housing prices
3. Need of a modern service infrastructure
4. Changed requirements concerning the standards of offices on the companies` site
5. Discharge of the central city of Paris as the traditional office district
6. No modern city centre as the CBDs in the United States
The overall purpose was to remain able to compete economically within the European city network as a metropolis.
