The headquarters of the French Communist Party is located in Paris at 2, place du Colonel-Fabien, where it has been based since 1971. Previously, the party headquarters was at 44 rue Le Peletier. The building, known as Histoire, is a work by Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer, who sketched it in 1965. Construction began in 1968 with the involvement of architects Jean Prouvé, Jean Deroche, and Paul Chemetov, and was completed in 1971; the dome, forecourt, and underground hall were finished in 1979–1980. Its façades are covered by a curtain wall designed by Jean Prouvé. The large building has smoked glass windows numbered 364 and an S-shape. A white dome, housing the National Council chamber, was completed in 1980 and is a key architectural element. The entrance hall covers more than 1000 square meters and hosts large art exhibitions under the name Espace Niemeyer.
Nearby Objects
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Stade Bergeyre 400 m away -
Hôpital Saint-Louis 400 m away -
Place de la Bataille-de-Stalingrad 650 m away -
Cours Florent 700 m away -
Parc des Buttes-Chaumont 850 m away
Location and History
The headquarters of the French Communist Party is located in Paris. Since 1971, it has been at 2, place du Colonel-Fabien. Before that, the party headquarters was at 44 rue Le Peletier.
Design and Construction of Histoire
Histoire was sketched in 1965 by Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer. Construction of the building began in 1968 with the involvement of architects Jean Prouve, Jean Deroche, and Paul Chemetov. The main building was completed in 1971, while the dome, forecourt, and underground hall were finished later, between 1979 and 1980. The facades are covered by a curtain wall designed by Jean Prouve.
Public Uses and Cultural Events at Place du Colonel-Fabien
The Headquarters of the French Communist Party, located at Place du Colonel-Fabien, has served a range of political, commercial, and cultural functions. It hosted the signing of the Programme commun in 1972, linking the building to an important political moment. Its use also extended to media and commercial activities: part of the premises was rented starting in 2009 under Marie-George Buffet, initially the second floor, and the building was used to organize a Prada fashion show authorized by Robert Hue for party financial resources. A Thom Browne fashion show was held there in 2010.
The headquarters has also been used repeatedly for filming and music projects. It served as a location for Alain Souchon to organize a music video and for Belgian singer Angele to make a music video in 2018. The building was also a filming location for the films De l'autre cote du periph and Cherchez Hortense in 2012, and it served as a set for the mini-series Trepalium in 2015.
A notable feature of the building is its entrance hall, which is more than 1000 square meters and hosts large art exhibitions under the name Espace Niemeyer. Among the exhibitions presented there were Putain de guerre! by Jacques Tardi in 2014 and Horsesvisions by painter Jacques Benoit and photographer Veronique Durruty in 2015.
Architectural Features of the Headquarters
The architectural description of the Headquarters of the French Communist Party is stated to be taken entirely from the film Architectures on Arte. The building is described as a large S-shaped structure with smoked glass windows numbered 364. One of its key elements is a white dome housing the National Council chamber, completed in 1980. This dome is a concrete volume covered with resin and painted white.
Inside, the building includes a large room that is half indoor and half outdoor, with long white tables seating 250 people. The space is dominated by a tribune, marked by a concrete wing protruding from it. From the carpeted floor to the ceiling, the room surfaces are covered with thousands of white tiles placed perpendicular to each other. Thousands of metallic blades are also present, serving acoustic purposes and reflecting fluorescent lamp light evenly throughout the room. Heavy doors on the lateral walls are operated by hydraulic pistons.