Herzog & de Meuron’s triangle tower stirs controversy in Paris
By BD+C Staff
More than 40 years have passed since the last skyscraper in Paris, the Tour Montparnasse, was built.
Earlier this month news spread that city officials have approved the construction of a 590-foot tower designed by Swiss practice Herzog & de Meuron, the creative minds behind Beijing’s Bird’s Nest for the 2008 Olympics and London’s Tate Modern museum. The design was originally rejected by the same committee in November 2014, Dezeen reports.
Herzog & de Meuron's scheme for the new addition to Paris’ skyline is a triangular tower with a trapezoid base made of glass. It is proposed for Paris’ 15th arrondissement, in the Porte de Versailles neighborhood. However, according to Dezeen, residents of the neighborhood criticized the building, saying it will overshadow them. Moreover, some politicians alleged that the design is unsustainable.
The project is backed by developer Unibail-Rodamco, and will include a 120-room hotel, 754,000 sf of office space, and cultural facilities, costing $720 million, News.com.au reports.
Pro-development mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo tweeted that she is “proud and happy that Triangle can be born in Paris.” She estimates 5,000 jobs will be created during construction, and an additional 5,000 jobs once the building is completed, planned for 2018.
