Paris is known for its grand boulevards, gravel parks and glistening limestone architecture. Skyscrapers? Not so much. In fact, until now, there’s been only major one in the city centre: the Tour Montparnasse. However, it’s just been announced that this lonely high-rise will soon have a pal.
The Tour Triangle – which, you guessed it, is shaped very much like a triangle – has just won a lengthy court battle. It’ll be the tallest structure to be built in the city since 1973, at 43 stories high. The plan is that construction will be complete just in time for the Olympics, which will take place in Paris in 2024.
The tower was first mooted in 2008, but officials repeatedly denied the developers planning permission. A court has now overturned that decision, so the architects behind the tower – Herzog & de Meuron – are hoping to start building work later this year at the Parc des Expositions site at the Porte de Versailles.
Because of its shape, the structure will look very different depending where you’re standing. From the city centre, it’ll look like a thin, glass-planed oblong – helpful if you’re trying to convince residents it won’t interfere with the view. From the east and west, though, it will be visible in all its triangular glory.
What do you think of the plans?
