View over the Perret Tower

Now turn to your right for a great view of the top of the Perret Tower. You can really see how the architecture changes from one section to the next: some parts are square, others are rounded, and then there’s that glass cube sitting right at the top. That cube is meant to light up the tower at night and make it visible from miles away. It was actually part of the original plans by the tower’s architect, Auguste Perret—but back then, there wasn’t enough funding to build it. It wasn’t added until 2005, when architect Dominique Lyon brought Perret’s vision to life. Fitted with LED lighting the cube doesn’t serve any practical purpose but it gives the tower a striking, modern look and reinforces its role as a symbol of postwar reconstruction.