During the European Heritage Days, the Le Monde group exceptionally opens the doors of its headquarters adjacent to the Austerlitz station to the public. Completed in 2020, this spectacular building, located at the entrance to the Paris Rive Gauche district, was designed by the international architecture agency Snohetta, based in Oslo, Norway. Built on slabs, above the railway tracks, spanning a non constructible slab (hence its characteristic arch profile), it also evokes by its shape a wave breaking towards the forecourt of the nearby station.
Its façade, consisting of approximately 20,000 glass panels, gives the impression of being pixelated and evokes, according to Kjetil Thorsen, co-founder of Snohetta, the notions of transparency and opacity that are at the heart of the work of the media and journalists. Shared by the editors of Le Monde, L'Obs, Télérama, Courrier international, La Vie and HuffPost, the building accommodates approximately 1,600 employees. It is certified High Environmental Quality (HQE) at the «excellent» level and has the Effinergie + label. Its upper level is equipped with solar panels and tarpaulins for rainwater recovery.
Tours of the building are organized as part of the Festival du Monde, which runs from 15 to 17 September, in parallel with the European Heritage Days. Animations and meetings in free access will be offered on the forecourt of the building throughout the weekend, as well as a catering offer.
It is advisable to register in advance for the tours. Registrations will be open from the beginning of September on the Festival du Monde website.