Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

La Tour aux Figures is a major work by Jean Dubuffet (1901-1985), conceived as part of his cycle L'Hourloupe, an imaginary universe that he explored since 1967. Originally conceived as a sculpture, it evolves towards an architectural project with the help of architect Antoine Butor. The model, created in 1967, prefigures a habitable structure, but it was not until 1983 that the Ministry of Culture, under the leadership of Jack Lang, commissioned its creation. Several Parisian sites are planned before Île Saint-Germain in Issy-les-Moulineaux was retained in 1985.

Construction began in 1986, after Dubuffet died, under the supervision of his foundation and his assistant Richard Dhoedt. The work, which is 24 metres high, combines a reinforced concrete frame and an epoxy resin outer skin painted in bright colours of the Hourloupe cycle (white, blue, red, black). Inside, an ascension maze named Gastrovolve invites visitors to an immersive experience, breaking with traditional passive contemplation. The tower was inaugurated in 1988 in the presence of François Mitterrand and listed as a historic monument in 2008.

A symbol of French contemporary art, the Tour aux Figures embodies Dubuffet's desire to blur the boundaries between reality and imaginary. Its sinuous forms and its dreamy interior question the perception of the world, while its history reflects the challenges of public orders. After a major restoration in 2019-2020, led by the chief architect of the Pierre-Antoine Gatier Historical Monuments, it reopens to the public with a dedicated mediation space, affirming its status as a heritage and educational work.

The tower is now owned by the Hauts-de-Seine department, which maintains it. Its access, limited to guided tours from March to October, allows you to discover both the spectacular exterior and the mysterious interior, where art and architecture merge. The work is part of a series of monumental projects by Dubuffet, many of which have never been completed in France, highlighting its exceptional character.

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