Les Deux Plateaux
at the Palais-Royal in Paris,
enhanced by light

Daniel Buren is a French painter and sculptor, widely recognised for having coined the concept of “in situ” work.

His many interventions explore space, colour, movement—and light. Rather than simply decorating, Daniel Buren seeks to transform places and challenge the perceptions of passers-by.

In 1985–1986, he completed a public commission, Les Deux Plateaux, for the Cour d’Honneur of the Palais-Royal in Paris.

The work consists of twenty-sided polygons, each striped in black and white. The lowest elements allow vehicles to pass through, while others barely emerge from the ground to visually create a horizontal line. The tallest elements, each measuring 3.20 metres, form an oblique plane along the longest diagonal of the courtyard.

It is these two planes—one perfectly horizontal, the other oblique—that give the work its title, Les Deux Plateaux.

To complete the installation, Daniel Buren needed light. His assistant, architect Patrick Bouchain, was aware of LEC’s pioneering role as the first manufacturer to use LED technology and to develop objects capable of integrating it, particularly for public-space ground installations. He therefore suggested partnering with LEC for this essential component of the artwork.

On the occasion of its 40th anniversary, LEC looks back on this remarkable lighting contribution. We asked Daniel Buren how he conceived the artistic lighting of his columns.

“I did not want simply to light the artwork, but to reveal a work that is different from what is seen during the day. Les Deux Plateaux at the Palais-Royal therefore has two distinct aspects: one diurnal and the other nocturnal. The latter is a combination of the site itself and its transformation, through the two main points of light.

To achieve this nocturnal vision, I highlighted what, during the day, is heard more than it is seen—namely the water flowing beneath the gratings and under the feet of passers-by.

This is where I used what was, at the time, a brand-new invention: the LED, which until then had only been used for wayfinding. I asked LEC to create a specific object, and they responded perfectly.”

“It was a raised product that allowed two different colours to be displayed on each of its two faces. I chose to use two contrasting colours: green and red.

I am very satisfied with the LEC product, which later became a standard item in their catalogue under the name Palais-Royal. It is an object that can now be seen along high-speed rail platforms and in many other public spaces…

I would also add that during the rehabilitation of the surface and subsoil of the artwork, the red and green markers were replaced with new, more advanced LEC products—this time flush-mounted—significantly refining and simplifying the pedestrian surface of the entire courtyard.”

“As for the final result, I believe that Les Deux Plateaux at the Palais-Royal are ageing very well. We celebrated their 30th anniversary in July 2016. I am happy to see thousands of children and adults who, every day, come to spend time there, using the artwork in their own way. Their constantly renewed presence, combined with the very design of the work, allows everyone to invent how they engage with it—and thus to transform and continually renew it.”

Did you know?

As early as 1977, LEC took a bold step by embracing LED technology—a successful choice that met demanding specifications in terms of reliability, energy efficiency, maintenance, and aesthetics. Rediscover with us 40 years of LED history and lighting innovation.