Valode & Pistre x Fabienne Verdier
Vert-de-Maisons Station
Vert-de-Maisons Station
07/10/2025
The construction of the Vert-de-Maisons Station on Line 15 is progressing, and artist Fabienne Verdier will create the artwork that will be installed on one of the walls of the station’s central space.
The architecture of the station is defined by a vast, deep cavity, its section expanding with depth. It has been conceived as a limestone quarry, evoking the historical heritage of Maisons-Alfort, where stones were once extracted to build many of Paris’s monuments. Between its reconstructed “faces,” “roofs,” and “pillars” of stone, the movement of passengers—via steel and glass escalators—becomes a spatial and aesthetic experience, unfolding within a Piranesian space.
Fabienne Verdier draws inspiration from this concept to create an artwork that, emerging from the wall, appears as a breakthrough in the quarry—a window into the distance, a gateway to unsuspected geodynamic horizons. Situated where the fracture lines of the limestone walls in the architectural design converge, the work will stand as an allegory of geological strata—an imaginary cross-section revealing the dynamic movement of sedimentary layers, inviting a contemplative journey along the tectonic lines of force shaping the Earth.
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The Grand Paris Express is one of the largest infrastructure projects of the century, designed to build new modes of mobility for millions of residents across the Île-de-France region. To reinforce its urban, social, and environmental mission, the project places culture and artistic creation at its core. This vision has given rise to the initiative "TANDEMS – Artists and Architects", led by the Société du Grand Paris, and conceived and implemented by the artistic and cultural direction of the Grand Paris Express, under José-Manuel Gonçalvès, together with Le CENTQUATRE-PARIS, Manifesto, and the Eva Albarran Agency. By 2031, more than 500 permanent artworks will be fully integrated into the stations of the Grand Paris network.
The architecture of the station is defined by a vast, deep cavity, its section expanding with depth. It has been conceived as a limestone quarry, evoking the historical heritage of Maisons-Alfort, where stones were once extracted to build many of Paris’s monuments. Between its reconstructed “faces,” “roofs,” and “pillars” of stone, the movement of passengers—via steel and glass escalators—becomes a spatial and aesthetic experience, unfolding within a Piranesian space.
Fabienne Verdier draws inspiration from this concept to create an artwork that, emerging from the wall, appears as a breakthrough in the quarry—a window into the distance, a gateway to unsuspected geodynamic horizons. Situated where the fracture lines of the limestone walls in the architectural design converge, the work will stand as an allegory of geological strata—an imaginary cross-section revealing the dynamic movement of sedimentary layers, inviting a contemplative journey along the tectonic lines of force shaping the Earth.
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The Grand Paris Express is one of the largest infrastructure projects of the century, designed to build new modes of mobility for millions of residents across the Île-de-France region. To reinforce its urban, social, and environmental mission, the project places culture and artistic creation at its core. This vision has given rise to the initiative "TANDEMS – Artists and Architects", led by the Société du Grand Paris, and conceived and implemented by the artistic and cultural direction of the Grand Paris Express, under José-Manuel Gonçalvès, together with Le CENTQUATRE-PARIS, Manifesto, and the Eva Albarran Agency. By 2031, more than 500 permanent artworks will be fully integrated into the stations of the Grand Paris network.
Toulouse Compans-Caffarelli – Administrative City
01/07/2025
The agency has been awarded the competition for the transformation of the Toulouse Administrative City.
Located in the Compans-Caffarelli neighbourhood, just steps away from the historic center and the Basilica of Saint-Sernin, the project involves converting a mono-functional and isolated site into a vibrant, mixed-use neighborhood, open to the city, while enhancing the historic ramparts and complying with the latest environmental standards.
Around a new 5,000 m² public park, family and student housing, shops, offices, and a healthcare center will take shape. Combining rehabilitations with new constructions, the project is designed with strong environmental commitments: low-carbon materials, bioclimatic design, creation of cooling islands, and soil de-artificialization.
Located in the Compans-Caffarelli neighbourhood, just steps away from the historic center and the Basilica of Saint-Sernin, the project involves converting a mono-functional and isolated site into a vibrant, mixed-use neighborhood, open to the city, while enhancing the historic ramparts and complying with the latest environmental standards.
Around a new 5,000 m² public park, family and student housing, shops, offices, and a healthcare center will take shape. Combining rehabilitations with new constructions, the project is designed with strong environmental commitments: low-carbon materials, bioclimatic design, creation of cooling islands, and soil de-artificialization.
Mareterra – Monaco Sea Extension
06/12/2024
We are hounoured to inaugurate the Mareterra project, Monaco’s land extension on the sea, in the presence of H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, Messrs. Pastor, Brianti, Levy-Soussan, and the many teams who took part in this exceptional architectural, urban, technical, and environmental venture— the culmination of a decade of design, in-depth studies, and an extraordinary construction process.
Shaded waterfront promenades, a marina, retail spaces, landscaped parkland, and the extension of the Grimaldi Forum complement top-end residential developments —apartment buildings and villas— to create a new six-hectare district, the greenest in the Principality, representing a 3% increase in its territory.
Shaded waterfront promenades, a marina, retail spaces, landscaped parkland, and the extension of the Grimaldi Forum complement top-end residential developments —apartment buildings and villas— to create a new six-hectare district, the greenest in the Principality, representing a 3% increase in its territory.
GRDF Headquarters Inauguration
21/11/2024
On November 21, we had the pleasure of inaugurating GRDF’s new headquarters, located in Saint-Denis opposite the Stade de France. Built with a timber structure, the building stands out for its exemplary environmental performance: a carbon footprint reduced by half and a high quality of the workspaces for the future occupants: a 2,000 m² network of planted patios and terraces, expansive office floors, 3.10 m ceiling heights, and the warmth of exposed timber.
Thiais-Orly Station inauguration
19/06/2024
On this day, Jean Pistre, joined by guest artist Lyes Hammadouche, Jean-François Monteils (President of Société des Grands Projets), Imène Saouid (Mayor of Orly), Richard Dell’Agnola (Mayor of Thiais), José Manuel Gonçalvès (104 Paris), among others, inaugurated Thiais-Orly Station, a key link in the southern extension of Paris Metro Line 14.
Situated between Orly Airport and the Rungis International Market, across the municipalities of Orly and Thiais, the station marks the first stage in the major urban transformation of this former industrial zone. Its role is embodied in the architecture itself, through a vault that opens onto the cardinal points, symbolizing new axes of development. Lyes Hammadouche’s installation Inside Out)— four satellite-like clocks in suspension—highlights the unfolding of time, both immediate and long-term.
Situated between Orly Airport and the Rungis International Market, across the municipalities of Orly and Thiais, the station marks the first stage in the major urban transformation of this former industrial zone. Its role is embodied in the architecture itself, through a vault that opens onto the cardinal points, symbolizing new axes of development. Lyes Hammadouche’s installation Inside Out)— four satellite-like clocks in suspension—highlights the unfolding of time, both immediate and long-term.
Silver Pyramid for Low-Carbon Construction 2023
19/10/2023
The Federation of Real Estate Developers awarded the Silver Pyramid for Low-Carbon Construction 2023 to the Breizh building, the future headquarters of GRDF. Located in Saint-Denis, opposite the Stade de France, the 34,000 m2 project, comprising offices and a business hotel, emphasizes wood and is acclaimed for its exemplary environmental impact and workplace quality of life. Designed with WO2 for Icawood, it is set for delivery in the second half of 2024.
10 years for Beaugrenelle!
16/10/2023
In 2013, Valode & Pistre delivered the new Beaugrenelle Shopping Center, located on the Seine near the Eiffel Tower. Designed as a reinterpretation of the typical Parisian department store architecture with light-filled atriums, glass domes, and aerial walkways, the center has since become a must-visit shopping destination on the Left Bank.
BIG 2023 BPI France at Accor Hotel Arena
7/10/2023
Denis Valode was a guest at the BIG 2023 summit organized by BPI France at the Accor Hotel Arena in Paris.
Entrepreneurs, executives, creatives, and investors gathered for the 9th edition of Europe’s largest entrepreneurial event. The agenda featured conferences and shared experiences on innovation, international business, and new technologies, under this year's theme of PRIDE, featuring numerous political figures and major industry players.
Entrepreneurs, executives, creatives, and investors gathered for the 9th edition of Europe’s largest entrepreneurial event. The agenda featured conferences and shared experiences on innovation, international business, and new technologies, under this year's theme of PRIDE, featuring numerous political figures and major industry players.
Administrative City of Lille inauguration
18/01/2024
On January 18th, Denis Valode and Thomas Coldefy inaugurated the new Administrative City of Lille, with Gérald Darmanin, Minister of the Interior, and Martine Aubry, Mayor of Lille, in attendance. The new Marianne City campus spans five independent yet interconnected buildings centered around a spacious and bright indoor street, which serves as the project’s backbone. The complex covers 38,000 m2, enhanced with tree-lined gardens —210 trees planted— patios, terraces, and green roofs, and will house over 2000 state agents. Designed to the highest environmental standards, the project showcases the latest insights into workplace quality of life.
ARTFX Campus Inauguration
04/10/2023
We were many to attend the inauguration of the ARTFX Campus in Roubaix!
Along with Guillaume Delbar, Mayor of Roubaix, representatives from the Hauts-de-France Prefecture, the European Metropolis of Lille, and the City of Tourcoing, teachers and students explored and took over their new spaces.
Located on the edge of Roubaix and Tourcoing, at the heart of the Plaine Images, a former industrial wasteland now dedicated to French excellence in digital imaging and cinema, the building serves as both a school and a lively student hub.
Along with Guillaume Delbar, Mayor of Roubaix, representatives from the Hauts-de-France Prefecture, the European Metropolis of Lille, and the City of Tourcoing, teachers and students explored and took over their new spaces.
Located on the edge of Roubaix and Tourcoing, at the heart of the Plaine Images, a former industrial wasteland now dedicated to French excellence in digital imaging and cinema, the building serves as both a school and a lively student hub.
Fabienne Verdier Exhibition
17/01 – 09/03/2024
Valode & Pistre presents Rainbows, an exhibition by artist Fabienne Verdier (in collaboration with Galerie Lelong & Co), from January 17 to March 9, 2024. Inspired by both the Issenheim Altarpiece (painted by Mathias Grünewald in 1516) and recent observations of cosmic phenomena, Verdier offers a visual exploration into the light forces and vibrations emitted at a star’s death through 13 large-format paintings. The collection presents a new form of iconography that bridges figuration and abstraction, science, and spirituality.
Agency Trip – Bilbao
du 30/09 au 02/10/2023
From Bilbao to San Sebastian, including visits to the Ysios wineries and the Marquès de Riscal hotel, this year's annual Works Council trip explored the Spanish Basque Country under the summer sun. The journey highlighted architecture from the 20th century and the Belle Époque to contemporary experiments by Frank Gehry and Santiago Calatrava
50th anniversary of the CAPC!
23/09/2023
Jean Pistre was a guest at a roundtable with Fabrizio Gallanti, architect and director of Arc-en-rêve, CAPC’s architecture center. The event revisited the preservation and rehabilitation of the Lainé warehouse, completed in 1990 and the first major cultural project by Valode & Pistre.
Once a storage facility for "colonial commodities" built in 1824, the dilapidated building was at risk of demolition in the early 1980s. The intervention, intended to be as minimal as possible, aimed to preserve the basilican structure of the complex, in keeping with the original
Once a storage facility for "colonial commodities" built in 1824, the dilapidated building was at risk of demolition in the early 1980s. The intervention, intended to be as minimal as possible, aimed to preserve the basilican structure of the complex, in keeping with the original
Sustainable Summit Prague 2023
20/09/2023
At the invitation of Saint-Gobain Czech, Denis Valode, Mathew Wiggett, and Stéphane Ferrier presented the Saint-Gobain tower in La Défense, a pioneering bioclimatic building with the highest environmental certifications (EFFINERGIE+, BREEAM Outstanding, LEED Platinum, NF HQE Exceptionnel...).
Paris Air Lab – Bourget Convention
30/06/2023
Denis Valode and Alain de Zotti, an engineer and head of aircraft architecture and integration at Airbus, participated in a roundtable hosted by Paul de Brem on the theme of decarbonization, a common challenge for both the aerospace industry and the construction sector. Denis Valode presented the agency’s environmental research work with projects such as the autonomous ABC housing in Grenoble, the GRDF headquarters with a wooden structure, and the urban forest eco-district in Issy-les-Moulineaux.
Caisse d’Épargne Midi-Pyrénées
12/06/2023
The agency won the competition to build the headquarters of the Caisse d'Épargne Midi-Pyrénées. The project is part of the cultural transformation of its activities, aiming to enhance its appeal, improve and harmonize the working conditions of its teams, and provide spaces conducive to understanding the evolution of the territory. Located at the edge of an exceptional and protected park, the arc-shaped project offers users immersion in a natural, soothing, and rejuvenating setting, conducive to reflection, teamwork, informal meetings, and relaxation.
Hangzhou Convention Centre corridor structure
06/07/2023
« Warmly celebrate the comprehensive roof closure of the steel structure of the central corridor of Hangzhou Convention and Exhibition Center »
Construction in progress, and the recent site visit by our team in China celebrated the completion of the central corridor’s roof structure.
Construction in progress, and the recent site visit by our team in China celebrated the completion of the central corridor’s roof structure.
Inauguration of Lille University Hospital
22/06/2023
Two years after its delivery, the Institute for Heart & Lung of the Lille University Hospital was inaugurated in the presence of Jean Pistre, Francois Braun, Minister of Health and Prevention, representatives from the City of Lille and the Supervisory Board of Lille Hospital, Pr Dominique Chevalier, President of the Medical Establishment Commission, Frédéric Boiron, Chief Executive President of the Executive Board, and Pr Dominique Lacroix, Dean of the UFR of Health and Sport Sciences.
A few small stories about geometry
30/05/2023
Through a selection of 24 projects by the agency (interior designs, buildings, or districts), this book offers a didactic and richly illustrated approach to the different geometric processes implemented in architectural project design. In each case, the project's programmatic challenge is highlighted to show how an abstract geometric concept can provide an essential contribution to the adopted architectural solution. It also demonstrates that the most sophisticated architectures are based on simple, reproducible systems through drawing
Published by Archibooks Editions.
Published by Archibooks Editions.
Presentation of the Administrative City of Lille
08/06/2023
Yannick Denis (Valode & Pistre) and Isabel Van Haute (Coldefy) presented the Administrative City of Lille today to agents of the Nord Prefecture and the State Real Estate Directorate (DIE).
Archi Jeunes 22-23 / Prize-giving
20/04/2023
With the theme "HOTELS?", the richness of the reflections confirms that the young generation of architects is bringing a creative and innovative vision, renewing practices and meeting the new expectations of a changing world.
The hotel is no longer just a place to stay; it opens up sustainably to the city and plays a role in the community.
1st Prize: Marine Szymczak
2nd Prize: Lou Randé and Juliette Escot
3rd Prize: Anissa Le Scornet and Enora Cloitre
4th Prize: Adboul Moumine Ide Seyni and Moussa Kaboré
5th Prize: Tevi Allan Mensah
The hotel is no longer just a place to stay; it opens up sustainably to the city and plays a role in the community.
1st Prize: Marine Szymczak
2nd Prize: Lou Randé and Juliette Escot
3rd Prize: Anissa Le Scornet and Enora Cloitre
4th Prize: Adboul Moumine Ide Seyni and Moussa Kaboré
5th Prize: Tevi Allan Mensah
Valode & Pistre – Complete Works: 1980 to Present
02/2023
"Valode & Pistre, Complete Works 1980 to Present" chronicles over 40 years of global architectural creation.
Written by Philip Jodidio –editor-in-chief of Connaissance des Arts for over 20 years and author of numerous articles and books on contemporary architecture– the volume revisits the projects that have marked the agency’s history, from its founding projects to major competitions, including winning the Silver Square in 1992 for the L'Oréal project.
This monograph is published in English by Images Publishing.
Written by Philip Jodidio –editor-in-chief of Connaissance des Arts for over 20 years and author of numerous articles and books on contemporary architecture– the volume revisits the projects that have marked the agency’s history, from its founding projects to major competitions, including winning the Silver Square in 1992 for the L'Oréal project.
This monograph is published in English by Images Publishing.