The KPMG Building, a photo from Ile-de-France, North

Photographer's Note

This is yet another picture from La Défense. The closest building is the the KPMG Building designed by architects Michel Andrault et Nicolas Ayoub. Construction ended in 1997 and it has 9 floors and total space of 15 000m². It hosts KPMG, one of the world’s largest firms for professional services providing audit, tax and advisory services. It employs over 123,000 people in 145 countries across the world.

Then a glimpse of the Tour Pacific designed by the Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa. It was build between 1988 and 1992 and it 25 has the height is 90 meters. It is also called the Japanese Tower an seeks to marry Japanese Culture with European Culture. The curtain wall facade represents a sliding door of wood and paper (Shoji) while the curved facade represents European masonry-structured architecture in Europe and a pedestrian bridge represents Taiko Bashi (a traditional Japanese arch bridge). The building houses both offices and spaces for Japanese.

And in the background once again the twins of Tours Société Générale (Tour Alicante and Tour Chassagne) and their little brother, the Tour Granite. The twin towers were built in 1995 and are the headquarters of France’s largest banking group. The buildings are identical and were designed by architects, Michel Andrault, Pierre Parat and Nicolas Ayoub. The height of both towers is 167 and the number of floors is 37. In its interior the two towers differ though since one is decorated with red Alicante marble and the other with white Chassange stone from which the towers got their names.

Between the twin towers the Tour Granite is seen, an office skyscraper ordered also by the Société Générale. The building is newly constructed (2008). The architect is Christian de Portzamparc. It has 40 floors and a height of 183 meters. Like the twin towers the Tour Alicante and the Tour Chassagne it has an inclined roof.

patshoo, gracious, adores, Tue, lacroux, ruisc_pt, Docarmo, TheMystic, COSTANTINO, bertolucci, pablominto, banyanman, maloutim, macjake ha puntuado esta nota como útil.

Critiques | Translate

patshoo (952) 2008-07-14 10:15

Attractive achitecture,Well upward POV,Contrast of building form and sky raise the interesting point,Highly sharpness too.Good work,TFS.

Greg1949 (9011) 2008-07-14 10:24

Ulf, great capture, it is an awesome graphic art view of some beautiful standing artworks. Sky texture caps it nicely. Note puts it all in proper perspective, fine presentation.

Greg

gracious (20025) 2008-07-14 12:27

Hello Ulf,
Many thanks for sharing the modern buildings from Paris, awesome view of them!
well captured with a great displayed of light and shadows and a nice reflection from the shot!
the image is sharp with good colour and details
well done
cheers
Tony

npecanhuk (79329) 2008-07-14 14:00

Hello Ulf!
Once more you repeat great geometrical effects with the fine modern architecture in Paris!
TFS - Congratulations!
Greetings from Brazil,
Neyvan

danyy (0) 2008-07-14 14:46

Bonjour Ulf,
tu as su tirer parti de toutes les caractéristiques graphiques de ces buildings. Droites, courbes et reflets.
Un excellent cadrage et une contre plongée vertiginieuse qui guide les yeux vers un bien joli ciel/
Regards.
Daniel.

TopGeo (38220) 2008-07-14 16:05

Hi Ulf excellent shot!the image is clarity with good colour and details! Attractive architecture in Paris, likeable prospect and projection in the beautiful background splendid picture. Interesting POV and excellent place
Georgios

adores (46979) 2008-07-14 16:48

Hi Ulf!
Great pov! I like the modern buildings and the beautiful sky. Its reflection on the glasses is perfect.

goldyrs (136) 2008-07-14 19:08

Sorry, very tired, so just marking your shot for now.
Goldy

Tue (91658) 2008-07-15 5:19

Hi Ulf,
Another superb photo from La Défense. Beautiful to see the tall structures with such great glass facades, that create the most wonderful distortions and reflections. The light was very pleasant too and the small clouds are a nice background. Very well done!
Regards,
Lars

lacroux (4562) 2008-07-15 5:34

Hello Ulf
Another rather beautiful image to add to the theme : "Blue Défense"
Thank you for your participation.
Regards.
Pierre.

ruisc_pt (11584) 2008-07-15 7:14

Hi
Ulf
you are mastering this field of the photograph art.
Exquisite angle and astonishing perspective.
Nice colour and skylight management
All the best
R

Docarmo (9767) 2008-07-15 10:31

Hi Ulf,
Good picture to publish on July 14, to celebrate the Fête Nationale de la France (the day of the Storming of the Bastille). Good choice of composition of this modern Paris, a beautiful architecture of the 3rd Millennium.
If there weren't those black, beige and orange colours, the bleu-blanc-rouge would be perfect. Anyway, it predominates - well done!
Thanks for sharing,
MCV

amazon (12112) 2008-07-16 4:15

i love your new style....
incredible,
perfect reflections and beautiful clouds,
congratulations dear friend,
regards from istanbul,
iffet

feather (51130) 2008-07-16 12:39

La Defense seems to have more than its fair share of modern architecture. As the business district it is probably not visited very often by tourists. The good light here has given plenty of opportunities for some wonderful reflections and the gorgeous sky is a beautiful background.
Kath

rodgerg (55767) 2008-07-18 2:29

Hello Ulf,

A POV original and ggod elected for present this modern building of the district "La Défense". I like the game of ligh, shad and reflections with a good use of light. The buildings arise very well in the blue of the sky. Very good work.
Best regards,
Roger

anducina (8407) 2008-07-19 4:29

Hello Ulf,
Excellent futuristic scene in blue and silver, I like the modern architecture, the reflections on the glass walls and the light-shadows play. Impressive low POV.

TFS and a nice WE to you too !
Andreea

TheMystic (916) 2008-07-19 14:01

Dramatic view against a super sky, Ulf! Amazing note too: you seem to find out a lot about your subject!
Cheers
Otto

Morac (27725) 2008-07-21 13:20

Hello Ulf,

Your photographs of Defense are original.
You have a camera angle little used.
Therefore your photographs are different.
Regards

Marc

leo61 (0) 2008-07-21 13:22

Hi Ulf!
A great architectureshot with wonderful blue tones and nice reflections.Great POV and perspective and a well fitting nice sky.
Regards,Leo

COSTANTINO (115605) 2008-07-23 5:22

Hello Ulf,
A photo with many architectural details
modern architecture taken from another point of view..gReat capture and excellent perspective
THANKS for sharing
Costantino

bertolucci (14052) 2008-07-23 7:03

Hej Ulf, what a feast of sharply rendered reflections and the straight lines and curves of hyper-modernistic La Défense. The contrast with the organic lines of the sky adds another graphical attraction. An excellent architecture shot !
Have a nice week!
Bert

pablominto (53746) 2008-07-26 23:42

Hej Ulf,

Fine architectural details, and the mix of reflectione and reality works well!
Lovely shades of blue, and the point of view adds dynamics to the frame...

Greetings,
Pablo -

banyanman (7797) 2008-08-22 8:40

Architectural shots from La Défense are usually very impressive, Ulf, and this one is no exception. I like the wide angle distortion in this and you have chosen the perfect sky for the backdrop to this shot. Cheers . . . David

maloutim (13617) 2009-01-05 21:43

Hi Ulf!
Your series on La Defense is remarkable! It has nothing to envy the great skyscrapers of America!
You have done a great job in shooting them in their best appearance! The sky had a great aspect that day , and I like the marriage of different designs, lines and materials in this particular photo. It all makes for a great composition!
Best wishes for a Happy 2009!
Marie Louise.

ikeharel (112521) 2013-03-02 1:30

Good morning Ulf,
Fine picture of the towers rise in juxtaposition, modern architecture yet each is different.
Super sharp image, well managed the light.
Enjoy a nice weekend,
Ike

macjake (98262) 2013-03-02 1:36

Hi Ulf
I am very very impressed and jealous at the same time about this photo :)
Wish I could have been there to capture some myself :)
what a difference it makes when you have such a great looking set of clouds and skyline.
and i love the sharp angles of the buildings and your chosen POV
splendid!!!!
cheers
craig