The BNP Paribas headquarters in Paris: between tradition and modernity

Last update: Apr 11, 2025

Tags: Banking architecture

Illustration of '16 Italiens' © Céline Pernot-Burlet

Discover the fascinating history of “16 Italiens”, the BNP Paribas headquarters in Paris. Since its purchase in 1917, this building has undergone remarkable transformations, marked by architectural challenges, technical innovations and a stylistic evolution towards Art Deco. Join us as we explore the key stages in the construction of the building, from the earliest plans to the recent restoration, and discover how this site has successfully combined tradition and modernity to become a symbol of the bank.

BNC moves to boulevard des Italiens: the beginnings of a century of history

Banque Nationale de Crédit (BNC), the ancestor bank of BNP Paribas, moved its headquarters from rue Le Peletier to 16, boulevard des Italiens, or “16 Italiens”, in 1917.

The new location was ideal, in a changing neighbourhood with many banks. But as a dynamic young bank, BNC’s growing business activities called for more space.

And so the bank began to gradually acquire the entire block adjacent to boulevard des Italiens, including rue Laffitte, rue Le Peletier and the future extension of Boulevard Haussmann, covering some 2,400 square metres.

To group all of BNC’s Parisian services in one location, a new building was required. The building had to be modern and feature the latest advances in safety, hygiene, electricity and heating.

THE EXTRAORDINARY STORY OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW HEADQUARTERS

The construction of BNC’s headquarters was a complex and rocky process.

Following disagreements with the management of the BNC, the appointed architects Olivier Carré and Georges Guiard were replaced during the construction by two new architects, Joseph Marrast and Charles Letrosne. The latter were obliged to entirely overhaul the initial plans, even though construction work was well under way.

Launched in 1919, the project finally entered the construction phase in 1926 and was expected to last only two years.

But the works did not end until 1932 and called for the implementation of an unprecedented project management system, consisting of a college of architects controlled by a Bank administrator and an engineer.

Gautier Joseph Eugène Marrast (1881-1971)

A former student of the École des Beaux-Arts fine art school in Paris, his first emblematic project came in 1912, when he created the St Louis de Vincennes church, in association with the architect Jacques Droz. He joined the air force in 1915 and was posted to Morocco from 1916 to 1919 as an assistant in the country’s urban planning department. It was here that he designed the courthouse and Place de France (now Place Mohammed V) in Casablanca.

In the interwar years, he took part in decorative arts exhibitions, notably in the United States, which influenced his work. He also exposed his work at major Parisian exhibitions, such as the 1925 International Decorative Arts Fair, and was involved in the transformation of the Palais de Chaillot for the 1937 Universal Exhibition. One of his flagship projects was the Bibliothèque Nationale.

Marrast was a key figure in interwar architecture and reconstruction. He was one of the founders of France’s Académie d’Architecture and became its first president in 1953. As inspector general of civil buildings and national palaces, he was made Commander of the Legion of Honour in 1955. During his career, he oversaw the renovation of theatres, including Palais Royal, Théâtre de l’Opéra and the Comédie Française, and in the 1930s drew up the plans for the French embassies in Berlin and Warsaw. He also worked for Compagnie Air France, producing its logo. The NLC building remains one of its most emblematic works, often cited as one of the principal reasons for obtaining the rank of Commander of the Legion of Honour.

AN ENTIRELY REDESIGNED ARCHITECTURAL PROJECT

The new architects Joseph Marrast and Charles Lebrosne made three major changes to the original project.

The first concerned the façade. The initial plans were for an 18th century façade (207 metres of façade, 20 metres high) with columns and pediments made in stone from the Meuse. But ultimately the façade took on the “Art Deco” style in vogue at the time in Paris and was built using stone from Burgundy.
The second change concerned the frame of the building, with the original oak structure replaced by metal.
The third adjustment involved the third basement, which had to be built across the entire building surface owing to structural problems.

Further work was carried out later, including the painting of the building and the installation of an innovative mechanical ventilation system (known as the “hot curtain”) in 1958. Modernisation work also included the introduction of a sanitary ventilation system.

Outstanding upper floors

The 29 December 1928 issue of L’Illustration ran a story on the features of the “16 Italiens” building, notably focused on its stepped upper floors. Since 1902, the regulations of the Préfecture de la Seine imposed a maximum height of 20 metres on buildings to ensure adequate ventilation and lighting on Paris streets. Any buildings higher than that required a written exception from the Ministry of the Interior. By recessing the upper floors, the bank’s architects were able to comply with the regulations and obtained permission to build additional floors above the 20-metre height initially authorised in July 1927.

An unprecedented artistic project

The original project, which provided for a reinforced concrete post and beam structure clad by a stone façade in the Beaux-Arts academic style, was eschewed in favour of an Art Deco style.

The new project consisted of a stepped design giving the building a pyramid shape, consistent with the “neo-Egyptian” style in fashion at the time.

The elegance of both the exterior and interior were heightened through the use of special materials:

A reinforced concrete structure for strength and economy;
Exterior metal window frames designed by Borderel and Robert, with openings varying in line with the needs of the rooms;
Doors and stairwells by Raymond Subes, adding to the majesty of the building.

The contribution of metalworker Raymond Subes (1891-1970)

Raymond Subes, a pioneering metalworker in the interwar period, a Knight of the Legion of Honour and a holder of the war cross, created some of the most iconic ironwork in France from 1919 to the late 1960s, with the support of the Borderel and Robert company.

His creations adorn the Normandie ocean liner, Banque Nationale pour le Commerce et l’Industrie, First National City Bank, and the restored gates of Place Stanislas in the city of Nancy.

Having received numerous awards at decorative arts exhibitions, notably in Paris in 1925, he was a well-known artist who taught at both École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs and École Boulle. The 16 Italiens building is one of his most illustrious projects. His work on the building is unparalleled, combining immaculate detailing with the requisite robust and protective image of a banking institution.

Restored headquarters for the leading European bank

In 2023, after almost 10 years of work, the management of BNP Paribas moved back into the new headquarters. Extensive restoration and work to bring the building into line with regulations were carried out to restore the lustre of a building having traversed the vicissitudes of the 20th century.

View photos of the building