[6] Its building was part of a large scale reconstruction project helmed by architect Auguste Perret in the Place Alphone-Fiquet neighborhood, which also involved a rebuild of the nearby railway station.

[6] The design phase started as early as 1942, following extensive damages suffered by downtown Amiens during World War II.

[10] The building actually fell slightly short of its intended height as its topmost part, a belfry adorned with a monumental clock, was never built due to delays and cost overruns.

[8][11] In 2005, the tower was finally completed with a so-called Sablier de lumière (English: Hourglass of Light) designed by architect Thierry Van de Wyngaert.

It is a cube made of 192 active glass panels whose transparency can be electrically adjusted, illuminated by twelve circular neon lamps which project different colors depending on the time of day.