Axel Dahl
photography
Vasconi by Thomas Schinko \ Melia Paris La Défense
Melia luxury hotel at La Défense in Paris.
One of the rare buildings around which manages to have found its place without taking the place. As a result, people naturally gather in front of it for picnics and after-work chats.
First session done may 2015 with most of the interiors covered as well ; variants and a few more interiors added in late august. More to come next year (perhaps even this winter).
At the very beginning of the Parvis, seen here from the Pont de Neuilly.
Main image of the session ; 8PM mid may - very proud of this one. The 7PM variant was done late in august.
Circa 3PM - cutting through.
North-west side : two layers of room either side, one stripe of access in between.
Back and secondary entrance ; very difficult to catch, but done thanks to a nearby shack above (another) construction site.
Crazy sky which makes the Melia appear and vanish at the same time.
Seen from the other side of the Autobahn, at about 6PM (late may).
Back and secondary entrance, when the sun still hits directly AND indirectly already.
From the sidewalk ; entrance up ahead, bar and restaurant between the wall and the rooms above.
I didn't think I could pull this one off but did it anyway... The sun is already partly hitting the lens and the contrast is _crazy_ but it works !
This only works for about 45 minutes, when the grey side is "backlit" by the adjacent tower. (but will try to do one at night as well)
This must be noon or so : hard sun, peaceful building.
Peaceful I tell you.
Secondary desk ; elevators to the left, entrance to the LeVeL to the right.
Floor-level bar adjacent to the main hall ; the restaurant is just above and Paris is just outside.
Arch of Triumph, Montparnasse Tower, Eiffel Tower, and the LVMH building just right of the latter.
Montparnasse and Eiffel towers visible even in the mirrors ; the LVMH Foundation is there, too.
VIP bar/lounge, the doors of which are generally closed because this is for VIPs.
Last image of this first session : Montmartre hill to the left, Concorde-Lafayette center and the usual suspects to the right.
Main image planned as early as april but impossible to do during the first session (sun sets too far and too late) ; early september was the moment. You should see this printed in A0 !
Difficult to do because chairs and tables are set late in the day, not in the morning...
First floor restaurant, 7AM late august, when it is lit by indirect sun reflected on a building across the Parvis.
First floor restaurant, 7.10 AM late august ; you can see here how large a panorama I can catch WITHOUT the exaggerated distortions of a super wide-angle lens.
First floor restaurant, 7.20 AM ; this lasts half an hour, no more.
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