Tours Aillaud

On the outskirts of Paris is an oasis of dreamlike towers. Located west of the city, Nanterre is home to some of the tallest buildings in the metropolitan area, including the group of skyscrapers known as the Tours Aillaud.

Overlapping cylindrical towers come together to form a round, cloud-like shape—hence the development’s nickname, Tours Nuages or “cloud towers.” These unique skyscrapers are a social housing complex that was built between 1974 and 1981 by Émile Aillaud, with the artist (and Aillaud’s son-in-law), Fabio Rieti and sculptor (and Aillaud’s daughter) Laurence. Not only the buildings are designed, the whole urban area is, the play fields, street elements, public space is all perfectly designed and tailored.

The Tours Aillaud were built during the Trente Glorieuses, a 30-year period that followed the end of World War II. The French economy was growing, and the government invested in building homes to solve the housing crisis. Much of this building was focused in suburbs beyond the peripherique, the road that encircles the city of Paris.