The complex, unoriginally named Duo ("Duet"), will be built next to the ring road that delimits Paris itself from its suburbs (which have the status of independent cities). Occupying this territory, the 13th arrondissement of Paris in recent decades has become a site of active construction: for example, there is a huge complex of the National Library, designed by Dominique Perrault, as well as the business district Paris-Rive-Gauche ("Paris - left bank (Seine)").
It is in this area that Nouvel's skyscrapers will be built. According to the architect, they will “enhance the pleasure” of being in this place: they will accentuate the views and add greenery to the environment thanks to the trees and shrubs on their terraces. In addition, their peaks will be available to the public as viewing platforms.
The towers will receive mirrored facades, highlighted by golden stripes. The larger building is a 175-meter high office building with a “fracture” at the top. Due to this broken profile, it is simultaneously oriented towards the nearby Avenue de France and the ring road. Thanks to this, the view of the neighboring city (suburb) of Ivry-sur-Seine is preserved, which is required by urban planning norms.
The smaller building (115 m) will accommodate a 4 * hotel with 237 rooms. It will retreat from the neighboring skyscraper with regular steps, on which green terraces will be arranged. The resulting V-shaped opening between the towers will allow sunlight from the south and west to illuminate the nearby industrial center Berlier Dominique Perrault and the planned residential area behind it.
In addition to offices and a hotel, the Nouvel complex will have shops, restaurants (including the observation deck on the top floor), and infrastructure. Completion of construction is scheduled for 2018.
Jean Nouvel's rivals in the competition were the Dutch “Nötelings Riedijk”, the Americans “Arcitectonica”, as well as Christian de Portzamparc.
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