Duplex in the Périscope building

Located just steps from Avenue d’Italie, the Périscope is in immediate proximity to all shops, schools, and universities.

The building sits at the heart of the lively and vibrant neighborhoods of Les Olympiades and La Butte-aux-Cailles, and is served by Metro line 7 and the newly extended line 14, which now connects directly to Orly Airport.

In 1966, a large-scale urban renewal project began in the Italie district, which was then run-down and unsanitary. The ambition was to replace the existing buildings with high-rise towers. Built between 1965 and 1969, the Périscope was a key part of this redevelopment initiative and stands as a symbol of the neighborhood’s transformation.

The building’s façade is defined by the regular horizontal pattern of balconies rising over 22 floors. An architectural feat given the density of the structure, each apartment benefits from dual orientation, ensuring constant natural light.

The common areas reflect the high standard of the building. At the entrance, a mosaic frieze by Emile Gilioli opens onto a lobby designed in the spirit of a grand hotel. Carefully selected materials combine marble tiling with wooden paneling, while large bay windows with aluminum frames open the lobby onto landscaped patios, bringing in generous natural light that enhances the brightness and spaciousness of the area.

On the top floor, a swimming pool and solarium reserved for residents further underscore the quality of the building’s amenities.

Maurice Novarina (1907–2002) was an architect and urban planner from Haute-Savoie, active from 1933 to 2000 in the Paris region, Normandy, and the Rhône-Alpes area. He completed numerous housing projects and public facilities; however, his work is often most recognized for his religious buildings, which led him to collaborate with Father Couturier—a priest and theorist of sacred art—as well as with modern artists such as Georges Rouault, Fernand Léger, and Marc Chagall.

Appointed Chief Architect for Civil Buildings and National Palaces (a position equivalent today to Chief Architect of Historic Monuments), he also taught for ten years at the École Spéciale d’Architecture and, from 1968 to 1976, at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Maurice Novarina was elected to the Académie des Beaux-Arts on June 6, 1979.

A prominent figure in 20th-century architecture, he is also known for his research into spatial value and his rational, pragmatic approach to architecture. He drew on the principles of modernist doctrine—especially the work of Auguste Perret and Le Corbusier—to create what he called “ordinary” architecture, a typology that became widespread in the post-1945 reconstruction era and during the economic boom of the Trente Glorieuses.

To mark the centenary of his birth, a retrospective exhibition was dedicated to him in 2007 by the Haute-Savoie Council for Architecture, Urban Planning, and the Environment (CAUE).