Paris is preparing to secure a new reputation as Europe’s central business hub by building seven skyscrapers by big-name architects in the La Défense district. In an effort to win over companies from post-Brexit London, the city called upon the likes of Jean Nouvel and Foster + Partners to design alluring and inviting architectural gems.
French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron announced the proposal during a press conference in London last week, where he touted a new marketing strategy for La Défense. The campaign’s slogan, “Tired of the Fog? Try the Frogs!,” is meant to attract their target audience — bankers, academics and researchers — to hop across the pond into more lucrative territory.
Thanks to Brexit, many London-based companies, especially financial firms, are concerned about losing their rights to trade freely across the European Union. According to the International Monetary Fund, Paris ranks as the world’s sixth largest economy. Forty percent of employees who work in La Défense are employed by overseas companies, meaning this near-400-acre area west of the city’s capital — with its 72 glass and steel buildings — is already a global community in and of itself.
Defacto, the agency behind the campaign for La Défense, plans to enhance the district by making way for 375,000 square meters [4 million square feet] of new office space as well as restaurants and co-working spaces. The addition of these seven new superstructures would mark the first time Paris has built any buildings taller than 100 meters [328 feet] in over 40 years. Several other skyscrapers are also planned for the district, including Les Jardins de l’Arche by Jean Mas of 2/3/4 Architecture. Should they get the go-ahead, the projects could be completed by 2021.
Here are the seven new designs proposed for La Défense:
Hekla by Ateliers Jean Nouvel
Hermitage Plaza by Foster + Partners
Tour Saint-Gobain (M2) by Valode et Pistre Architects
Alto by IF Architects
Trinity by Crochon-Brullmann + Associés
Tours Sisters by Christian de Portzamparc
All images via Paris La Défense