Tour Total
Encyclopedia
Tour Total is an office skyscraper
located in La Défense
, Courbevoie
, the high-rise business district
west of and adjacent to the city of Paris
, France
designed in the Modern architectural style
. The building now serves as headquarters for Total SA, one of the six "Supermajor
" oil companies in the world.
Completed and opened in 1985, it is the second tallest skyscraper in La Défense and the third-tallest skyscraper in the Paris area, after the Tour First and the Tour Montparnasse
. Tour Total is 190 m (623 ft) tall; a three-metre (9 ft) long antennae is located on its roof which is 187 m (614 ft) above the ground. The site on which the Tour Total was built was initially reserved for a skyscraper which would have been a twin tower to Tour Areva
, but the oil shock of 1974 forced the investors to cancel their project.
Tour Total is one of La Défense's third generation of skyscrapers. Architects took into account the flaws in towers of previous generations (such as Tour Areva
, Tour Gan
, Tour AXA
). For instance, the Tour Total is much more efficient in terms of energy consumption than previous La Défense skyscrapers.
Tour Total actually consists of five bodies of different heights being super-imposed on each other. The tallest of those bodies has 48 floors, the next two have 44 and 37 floors respectively.
Skyscraper
A skyscraper is a tall, continuously habitable building of many stories, often designed for office and commercial use. There is no official definition or height above which a building may be classified as a skyscraper...
located in La Défense
La Défense
La Défense is a major business district of the Paris aire urbaine. With a population of 20,000, it is centered in an orbital motorway straddling the Hauts-de-Seine département municipalities of Nanterre, Courbevoie and Puteaux...
, Courbevoie
Courbevoie
Courbevoie is a commune located very close to the centre of Paris, France. The centre of Courbevoie is situated 2 kilometres from the outer limits of Paris and 8.2 km...
, the high-rise business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
west of and adjacent to the city of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
designed in the Modern architectural style
Modern architecture
Modern architecture is generally characterized by simplification of form and creation of ornament from the structure and theme of the building. It is a term applied to an overarching movement, with its exact definition and scope varying widely...
. The building now serves as headquarters for Total SA, one of the six "Supermajor
Supermajor
Supermajor is a name commonly used to describe the world's five largest publicly owned oil and gas companies.-Composition:Trading under various names around the world, the supermajors are considered to be:* BP p.l.c...
" oil companies in the world.
Completed and opened in 1985, it is the second tallest skyscraper in La Défense and the third-tallest skyscraper in the Paris area, after the Tour First and the Tour Montparnasse
Tour Montparnasse
Tour Maine-Montparnasse , also commonly named Tour Montparnasse, is a tall office skyscraper located in Paris, France, in the area of Montparnasse. Constructed from 1969 to 1972, it was the tallest skyscraper in France until 2011, when it was surpassed in height by the Tour First...
. Tour Total is 190 m (623 ft) tall; a three-metre (9 ft) long antennae is located on its roof which is 187 m (614 ft) above the ground. The site on which the Tour Total was built was initially reserved for a skyscraper which would have been a twin tower to Tour Areva
Tour Areva
Tour Areva is an office skyscraper located in La Défense, a high-rise business district, and in the commune of Courbevoie, France, west of Paris....
, but the oil shock of 1974 forced the investors to cancel their project.
Tour Total is one of La Défense's third generation of skyscrapers. Architects took into account the flaws in towers of previous generations (such as Tour Areva
Tour Areva
Tour Areva is an office skyscraper located in La Défense, a high-rise business district, and in the commune of Courbevoie, France, west of Paris....
, Tour Gan
Tour Gan
Tour Gan is an office skyscraper located in La Défense, the high-rise business district situated west of Paris, France. It was designed by celebrated American architect Max Abramovitz....
, Tour AXA
Tour AXA
Tour First is an office skyscraper located in Courbevoie, a Paris suburb in the La Défense district....
). For instance, the Tour Total is much more efficient in terms of energy consumption than previous La Défense skyscrapers.
Tour Total actually consists of five bodies of different heights being super-imposed on each other. The tallest of those bodies has 48 floors, the next two have 44 and 37 floors respectively.
See also
- SkyscraperSkyscraperA skyscraper is a tall, continuously habitable building of many stories, often designed for office and commercial use. There is no official definition or height above which a building may be classified as a skyscraper...
- La DéfenseLa DéfenseLa Défense is a major business district of the Paris aire urbaine. With a population of 20,000, it is centered in an orbital motorway straddling the Hauts-de-Seine département municipalities of Nanterre, Courbevoie and Puteaux...
- List of tallest structures in Paris