It is in 1884 qu ' Emile Nouguier and Maurice Koechlin, the two principal engineers of the company of Gustave Eiffel, has the idea to build a relatively high building, a tower of thousand feet. They call upon the architect Stephen Sauvestre for the implementation of the project. This project is presented to the Exposition of Decorative Arts of 1884. Gustave Eiffel manages to convince Edouard Lockroy, minister Commercial and Industry, launching a contest for the construction of a tower of 300 m for the World Fair of 1889.