Show Your Colours

Until recently architects seemed to shy away from colour. The furthest they'd go would be painting kindergartens or health facilities in "refreshing" colours, while "serious" and "representative" buildings would stick to the proven elegance of white paint or raw materials. The reason could be the modernist legacy of subtly despising decoration or simply that colours are playful; something that's not always desirable. However, colour and light are inseparable and both have an impressive potential to influence mood, behaviour and impression. Just see La Defense Offices: a 23.000 m² tribute to rainbows, whose colours and brilliance depend strongly on weather and light conditions. You wouldn't normally expect such an excessive playfulness from an office building. "Designed with the office tenants in mind", it is a wonderful example of how architecture can contribute to a refreshing and surprising environment for routine activities; something we bet will have a positive impact.