In April 2004, KPF and their associate architects SRA won the international architectural competition organized by Cog?dim on behalf of the Client, AXA REIM and Beacon Capital Partners. The project proposes a full refurbishment of the tower CB31, in La D?fense, Courbevoie, dating from 1974. The site is situated at the entrance of La D?fense, near the Neuilly bridge. Particularly visible from the Place de l?Etoile, the Tour FIRST is presently one of the symbols of La D?fense, and marks the access to it. The client?s objectives are to improve significantly the quality of the rentable area, to ennoble the building entrance, and to create a new, strong architectural image on the Parisian skyline. In addition, specific concerns focus on the urban design, namely on the improvement of pedestrian areas, the integration of the building into its immediate context, and public access between this neighborhood and the Grand Esplanade at the heart of La D?fense. KPF proposes the following modifications: ? Increase the rentable surface area, by extending the floor slabs thereby making the dimensions meet current market needs. ? Open views over Paris, and increase the daylight inside the offices by replacing the opaque gable walls. ? New openings in the structural walls around the central core increase daylight in the central circulation area, thus improving communication between each wing. ? Create informal meeting and break out spaces with the creation of sky gardens, which also make a unique feature in the exterior. ? Reorganise the entry levels, improving entrance hall as well as circulation connecting the social spaces. ? Three newly constructed volumes help integrate the building into its urban context. To the east, a new horizontal roof covering the pedestrian access announces the new building entrance to the quartier. To the north, a new volume containing brasserie and cafeteria defines the fourth side of the orthogonal ?Place?, while engaging the square with a publicly accessible dining function. To the southwest, a new volume containing a multi-level food court and dining halls overlooks the Boulevard Circulaire. ? A new contemporary, insulated fa?ade of metal and glass will wrap the building where needed to protect the interior from too much solar heat radiation. Its application is a balance between engineering constraints and the aesthetic goals of a dynamic form.