Lighting The Civic Pyramid of Nanterre

In the search for an elegant and distinctive nocturnal identity for the Nanterre City Hall, this project reimagines its pyramidal form as a civic pyramid, a symbolic landmark around which residents naturally gather. The lighting design transforms the house of citizens into an urban beacon, offering a nocturnal presence that is legible, poetic and deeply respectful of the site.
The intervention relies on a non-intrusive lighting approach, combining targeted projections with a dynamic luminous crown at the top of the building. This strategy creates a restrained and refined reading of the architecture while minimizing environmental impact. Light accompanies the volumes without imposing upon them, revealing the pyramidal structure with precision and softness.
The lighting design establishes a balanced dialogue between the building’s institutional stature and a more sensitive, shared experience of the surrounding public space. Around the city hall, light contributes to a high-quality, interactive and welcoming environment, inviting users to inhabit the space in a manner that is both playful and serene.
Through this attentive and enhancing approach, Nanterre City Hall acquires a unique nighttime identity. Light reveals each facet of its symbolic role and civic presence, anchoring the architecture within the collective memory and the nocturnal landscape of the city.