Ivanhoé Cambridge, a world leader in real estate, is proud to announce the delivery of the Tours DUO offices to Groupe BPCE.
Designed by architect Jean Nouvel, the Tours DUO enrich the architectural heritage of Paris by offering visitors from all over the world a new panorama on the east side of the capital. This innovative project won a Paris City Hall competition in April 2012, obtained its building permit in September 2015 and began construction in March 2017.
The Tours DUO have been developed by Ivanhoé Cambridge and materialized with Natixis Assurances, as co-investor, and with Groupe BPCE as tenant. Hines France, associate developer and long-time partner of Ivanhoé Cambridge in France and North America, supported this project. Construction was carried out by Bateg, a subsidiary of VINCI Construction France, in association with VINCI Energies, Permasteelisa and Otis with Artélia as general contractor.
On the edge of the Seine, the two towers – 180 metres and 39 floors for DUO Est and 122 metres and 27 floors for DUO Ouest – offer more than 106,000 m² with more than 97,000 m² of office space. A true continuum between the cities of Paris and Ivry, they create a new urban landmark for one of the major districts of Greater Paris. The towers rise above the Paris ring road at the entrance to the Bruneseau neighbourhood in the 13th arrondissement, close to leading universities, the Bibliothèque Nationale de France and the Station F startup campus.
“The Tours DUO perfectly illustrate Ivanhoé Cambridge’s ability to develop new urban projects in rapidly regenerating neighbourhoods, while creating living spaces that respond to occupants’ changing needs. We’re pleased to hand over the keys to Groupe BPCE, marking a milestone in collective multiyear adventure. In total, nearly 10,000 people worked on this major site, meeting numerous architectural, technical and cyclical challenges along the way.” said Audrey Camus, Vice President, Development and Asset Management, Europe at Ivanhoé Cambridge.
The project was carried out to demanding specifications in terms of wellness and environmental considerations. As France’s largest project with WELL Platinum certification, DUO meets the highest criteria in terms of user comfort, health and well-being. The two towers also have Wired Score Certification, which confirms their connectivity potential and establishes them as a pioneering complex adapted to new ways of working. Moreover, with LEED Platinum, HQE Exceptional and Effinergie+ certifications, DUO will also achieve an exceptional energy performance.
“Taking delivery of the Tours DUO is a milestone in Groupe BPCE’s history, ” said Laurent Benatar, Chief Technology and Operations Officer of BPCE. “this remarkable development in the heart of 13th arrondissement, a district to which our group is very partial, is the result of close collaboration with teams at Ivanhoé Cambridge and Ateliers Jean Nouvel. The Tours DUO will welcome more than 9,000 Groupe BPCE employees, providing state-of-the-art comfort with offices adapted to our new work methods and designed for user-friendliness and the enjoyment of returning to the office.”
DUO Ouest will also have a 139-room hotel on its 10 uppermost levels, a restaurant and a bar with a terrace offering a panoramic view of Paris, all conceived and designed by Philippe Starck and operated by Group Laurent Taïeb in association with Pascal Donat of the Valotel group. The development of the hotel, bar and restaurant is ongoing.
The two buildings also house an auditorium, stores, planted terraces and a green space open to all with a belvedere garden perched above the railway tracks.