Centre National de la Danse

You are approaching the Centre National de la Danse, a striking example of Brutalist architecture that anchors the banks of the Canal de l Ourcq. Before it became a sanctuary for choreographers and dancers, this concrete monolith served a very different purpose. Completed in 1973, it was designed by architect Jacques Kalisz as the administrative headquarters for the city of Pantin. It was intended to function as a Palais du Peuple, or People Palace, intended to house everything from a police station and a tax office to a court and a funeral home all under one massive, geometric roof.