Conseil Économique Social et Environnemental (CESE)

The Palais d'Iéna stands as a masterclass in the versatility of reinforced concrete, a material architect Auguste Perret championed long before it was widely accepted for monumental design. Perret designed the structure for the nineteen thirty-seven Universal Exhibition, intending for it to serve as a national museum for public works. He drew inspiration from the Parthenon in ancient Greece, replacing traditional stone with tapered concrete columns to achieve a balance between classical symmetry and modern industrial utility. The building features an iconic double-return staircase that appears to hover without support, a feat of engineering that remains a focal point for architecture students visiting the site today.