La Géode

You are looking at one of the most recognizable structures in Paris, a giant, mirror-finished sphere known as La Géode. Inaugurated in 1985, this thirty-six-meter-wide dome is coated in over six thousand individual polished stainless steel triangles that act as a massive, curved mirror, reflecting the sky and the surrounding greenery of the Parc de la Villette. Architect Adrien Fainsilber designed the structure to serve as a high-tech cinema, and before the name La Géode was finalized, the project faced several humorous and unofficial naming suggestions, including Bouboule, which roughly translates to Big Ball.