Échelles du Baroque, Residential complex in Montparnasse district, Paris, France
Échelles du Baroque is a 1980s residential complex holding 274 apartments across seven floors, marked by curved facades and glass columns that frame the spaces. The scheme organizes around two distinct plaza areas, while the ground level contains apartments alongside shops, offices, and workshops.
The complex was completed in 1985 under architect Ricardo Bofill as part of an urban renewal program near Montparnasse train station. This project responded to the need for modern housing in this heavily used district of central Paris.
The baroque architectural language appears in the curved facades and elliptical plazas that reference Italian design traditions. This formal approach shapes how residents and visitors experience the space, creating unexpected transitions between different areas.
Access to different sections flows through multiple entrances that link the two plaza areas and connect to the surrounding neighborhood. An underground parking garage with around 300 spaces sits beneath the complex and serves residents and visitors.
One side features an amphitheater-shaped plaza with private gardens, while the opposite side displays an elliptical form with glass columns. These two different spatial configurations give the location two distinct characters that visitors may not immediately notice.
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