Seminars, steering committees, general meetings, conferences, screenings, concerts, exhibitions, fashion shows and film shoots can be held at Espace Niemeyer, with up to 300 people in the auditorium under its white dome. The venue occupies the headquarters of the French Communist Party, designed by Oscar Niemeyer, on place du Colonel Fabien in the 19th arrondissement of Paris.
Seminars and company events
The building offers about 3,000 m² of private space, available all year, seven days a week and around the clock. A company day can open with a plenary session under the dome, continue in the meeting rooms on the lower level and end with a reception in the cafeteria or the hall. The events team works Monday to Friday, from 09:00 to 18:00, and a technical sheet lists the equipment. A loading dock makes deliveries and production set-ups easier. Fashion houses, broadcasters, film studios and charities have all used the building.
Rooms and capacities
La Coupole, on the ground floor, has 250 seats and can extend to 300, with sound in the gallery and the audience area and video projection on request. Le Hall, also on the ground floor, covers 1,000 m², including a 400 m² exhibition area along 160 linear metres of wall. On the lower level, La Cafétéria covers 500 m² and takes 250 standing or 150 seated, with a catering kitchen. The Salle de Conférence covers 180 m² for 100 people, with sound and projection. The Salle de Délégation covers 112 m² for 28, and the Salle de Réunion takes 20 to 60 people. The rooftop terrace looks over Paris and is used for outdoor filming.
Catering
The cafeteria includes a catering kitchen for the caterer's teams. The website does not name a house caterer, so confirm catering arrangements with the events team.
History and setting
In 1965 the Communist Party, whose offices were spread across Paris, decided to build a single headquarters. Oscar Niemeyer, in exile in Paris from Brazil's military regime, was chosen as architect in 1966 and worked with Jean Deroche, Paul Chemetov and Jean-Maur Lyonnet, while Jean Prouvé designed the glass curtain wall. A first phase, from 1968 to 1971, built the six-storey office block, the technical tower, part of the hall and two parking levels. A second phase, from 1978 to 1980, added the sloping hall, the dome and the entrance esplanade. The dome is a concrete shell about 11 metres high, lined with aluminium slats for decoration and acoustics, and its furniture was designed by Niemeyer. The whole building was classified as a historic monument in 2007.
Getting there
The address is 2 place du Colonel Fabien, 75019 Paris. Colonel Fabien metro station (line 2) is at the door and Jaurès (line 5) is close by, with buses 46 and 75 and a Vélib' station on the square. Gare de l'Est is about five minutes away, Gare du Nord about ten, and both Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports about 30 minutes.
At a glance
What sets it apart
- 01La Coupole: 250 seats, extendable to 300, under the dome
- 021,000 m² hall with 400 m² of exhibition space
- 03Cafeteria for 250 standing with a catering kitchen
- 04Open all year, seven days a week, around the clock
- 05Colonel Fabien metro at the door, Gare de l'Est 5 minutes
