Grand banc de la Défense

The Grand Banc de la Défense stretches across the plaza as a massive, continuous wooden bench that curves in a long, gentle arc. Designed by landscape architect Michel Desvigne, it anchors the space by providing a singular, deliberate place for people to pause amidst the surrounding office towers. When it was installed, it replaced fragmented seating with a unified structure that mirrors the flow of pedestrians moving toward the Grande Arche. It acts as a physical response to the wind and scale of the site.