David García-Manzanares Vázquez de Agredos Reads La Défense as a Dintel, Not an Arch

In a piece published in Veredes, architect David García-Manzanares Vázquez de Agredos contends that the Grande Arche de la Défense subverts the intimidating nature of traditional triumphal arches. The Tête Défense competition was launched by François Mitterrand in 1982 to establish a terminus on the historical axis stretching from the Louvre to Napoleon's Arc de Triomphe. Among 424 submissions, Danish architect Johan Otto von Spreckelsen emerged victorious with his cube design featuring perforations. The location, an artificial platform accommodating various transport lines, necessitated deep foundations, causing the arch's axis to shift 6.5 degrees. The structure is supported by two lateral portals, each 110 meters tall, and incorporates bending and compression techniques. Weather damage led to the replacement of some Carrara marble cladding with granite, promoting public interaction.