Grande Armée L1ve Office Building By Baumschlager Eberle Architekten, Paris, France

The Grande Armée L1ve Office Building in Paris, redesigned by Baumschlager Eberle Architekten, is a compelling example of large-scale adaptive reuse that transforms a modernist landmark into a contemporary, sustainable workplace. Completed in 2022, the 35,000-square-meter project reinterprets the former Peugeot headquarters—originally designed by architects Sainsaulieu—near the Arc de Triomphe, demonstrating how restructuring can intensify an existing architectural gesture while responding to the demands of future-oriented work environments.

Located along Avenue de la Grande Armée, one of Paris’s most prominent urban axes, the project introduces a striking 110-meter-long façade that redefines the building’s identity within the cityscape. Rather than replacing the original concrete structure, Baumschlager Eberle Architekten retained it as a powerful architectural backdrop. Onto this framework, they introduced an innovative window system based on a simple yet highly effective principle: alternating standard openings with box-type windows set at varying depths within the concrete grid.

This façade strategy creates a dynamic rhythm and pronounced plasticity, generating depth, shadow, and visual complexity while maintaining a disciplined architectural order. The result is a strong and recognizable physiognomy that gives the Grande Armée L1ve project a distinct urban presence—one that respects its modernist origins while asserting a renewed architectural character.

The office building extends from Avenue de la Grande Armée to Rue Pergolèse, organized around two internal courtyards that bring daylight, greenery, and spatial relief deep into the perimeter block. Generous landscaped areas break down the scale of the development, creating a more humane and pleasant working environment. At the heart of the complex are shared amenities, including an agora and a conference center, reinforcing the building’s role as a collaborative and social workplace rather than a purely functional office block.

A key design principle was the reuse of the existing primary structure. This approach not only preserved the architectural legacy of the building but also allowed for significant reductions in material consumption and embodied carbon. The interior office spaces were designed to be use-neutral, offering maximum flexibility to accommodate changing work patterns, tenant needs, and future transformations. Open office layouts, former showroom spaces at ground level, and expansive common areas create a diverse spatial ecosystem that goes beyond traditional desk-based work.

Sustainability and circular construction strategies are central to the project. During demolition and restructuring, 5,165 tonnes of existing building material were removed, of which an impressive 92 percent were recycled. Around 80 tonnes of material were directly reused within the building itself, including elements repurposed for gallery flooring. Composite materials were deliberately avoided in favor of simple, separable materials such as wood, concrete, and metal—chosen for their durability, recyclability, and long-term adaptability.

This material logic not only supports environmental responsibility but also defines the tactile and visual atmosphere of the interiors. Exposed concrete surfaces, warm wood finishes, and metal components create a restrained yet robust architectural language aligned with Baumschlager Eberle Architekten’s philosophy of longevity and clarity.

The building’s energy concept further reinforces its sustainable credentials. Renewable and low-impact energy systems include geothermal wells, photovoltaic panels installed on the roof, and access to Paris’s district heating network—half of which is supplied by local renewable energy sources. Together, these systems significantly reduce operational energy consumption and position the project as a benchmark for sustainable office refurbishment in dense urban contexts.

Grande Armée L1ve reimagines the office as a “living world,” where work, exchange, and social interaction coexist. By transforming rigid office typologies into adaptable, open, and shared environments, the project responds to contemporary expectations around flexibility, well-being, and collaboration. As Anne Speicher, Manager of the Paris office of Baumschlager Eberle Architekten, notes, restructuring enables the creation of new places with differentiated and attractive uses that meet both present and future needs.

Honored with the Austrian Green Planet Building Award in 2024 by the Republic of Austria, the Grande Armée L1ve Office Building stands as a powerful model for adaptive reuse, sustainable renovation, and responsible urban development. It proves that working with existing structures—rather than replacing them—can produce architecture of strong identity, environmental intelligence, and lasting relevance.

All the photographs are works of Cyrille Weiner