Les Arènes de Picasso is a residential complex in Noisy-le-Grand, near Paris, France. Designed in 1981 by architect Manuel Núñez Yanowsky and completed in 1985, the complex was part of the Villes Nouvelles programme, a post-war urban development initiative aimed at accommodating the growing population of the Paris region while promoting social diversity.
The complex is arranged around the octagonal Place Pablo Picasso, which is crossed by two axes running in the north-south and east-west directions. The most striking features are two large cylindrical buildings, each 50 metres in diameter, situated on the east and west sides of the square, referred to by locals as les camemberts. Together, the composition forms an abstract representation of an overturned Roman chariot. In the centre of the square stands a monumental sculpture by the artist Miguel Berrocal.
Architecturally, it is regarded as a pioneering achievement: Place Pablo Picasso was one of the first major projects to be constructed entirely from precast concrete elements, thereby demonstrating the feasibility of complex architectural forms through prefabrication. Yanowsky, known for his baroque sensibility and the prominent role of sculpture in his façade design, is regarded as one of the most original voices in contemporary architecture. The complex is listed as part of the European architectural heritage.
