The shopping centre designed by Claude Parent in Sens (Yonne), between 1967 and 1970, was registered by prefectural decree of 10 June 2011 and was deemed to be of interest, considering the good condition of the building, “… because of its remarkable architectural quality, its importance in the work of Claude Parent, author of the founding concept of contemporary architecture, and therefore in the history of architecture.”

The building, designed at the time for GEM, represents with its
concrete ramps one of the last complete expressions of the
theory of oblique function, established by Claude Parent with Paul Virilio,
in the framework of the research group «Architecture principe».

Seeking to break the strict rules of modernism
through the oblique function, Claude Parent establishes a
questioning the practices of the physical and social body, in the
to the very centre of architecture. Far from being a mere fad
of the slope, the oblique function acts as a transformation of the
landscape and relation to the body, by shifting the horizon.

Claude Parent will build more malls for the company
GEM who will not hesitate to trust the architect despite the radicality
of his words, like those of Reims-Tinqueux (Marne), Epernay-
Pierry (Marne), or Ris-Orangis (Essonne).

The City of Architecture and Heritage recently returned it
tribute, by dedicating a retrospective that has known a great
success.

This new inscription reflects the special interest of the
20th Century Ministry of Culture and Communication
century.