Le Projet Triangle - Paris, France (Herzog & de Meuron)

[khris]

This was actually announced in September, 2008. I believe. However was not posted here, and it's fairly unique!

Architects Herzog & de Meuron have unveiled their design for a triangular building in the Porte de Versailles area of Paris, France.


According to the architects the triangular profile will prevent the structure casting shadows on adjacent buildings, and allow for optimum solar and wind power generation.


The ground floor will incorporate shops and restaurants, while an open public space level with Parisian rooftops will afford views of the city.


Completion is planned for 2014.


Here’s some more information from the architects:

–

Projet Triangle, Porte de Versailles
Paris, France
2006 –, planned completion 2014

“Le Projet Triangle†is primarily perceived on the metropolitan scale of the city of Paris. Its elevated stature will lend major visibility to the Porte de Versailles and the Parc des Expositions site within the overall conurbation. It will also permit its integration in the system of axes and perspectives that constitute the urban fabric of Paris.


On the scale of the Porte de Versailles site, the project will also play a significant role in the reorganisation of flows and perception of urban space. The Parc des Expositions site currently forms a break between the Haussmanian fabric of the15th district of Paris and the communities of Issy-les-Moulineaux and Vanves, emphasised by the visual impact of the peripheral boulevard.

The construction of an ambitious building on the Porte de Versailles site will mark its opening and restore the historical axis formed by the rue de Vaugirard and avenue Ernest Renan.

The square of the Porte de Versailles is a complex space in its current configuration. Its initial semi-circular organisation is difficult to interpret given the many visual impediments and lack of clearly identified public spaces between the Parc des Expositions and the buildings opposite.

Building on the square itself would intensify this problem of perception: our project therefore proposes to free this space by positioning itself along the avenue Ernest Renan.

This move offers three major advantages :

* it permits the creation of a public square between the boulevard Victor and Hall 1 of the Parc des Expositions, by reorganising logistic flows.
* It creates a strong link between what are known as the “petit†and “grand†parcs, the two parts of the Parc des Expositions.
* It marks the Paris / Issy-les-Moulineaux axis, allowing the urban space to cross the peripheral boulevard by activating the entire facade of the avenue Ernest Renan.

Situated along the avenue, the project is located at the heart of the Parc des Expositions site, set back from the surrounding residential areas. Its volumetry also takes into account the impact of a high building on its environment. Its triangular shape actually means that it does not cast shadows on adjacent buildings. The environmental approach of the project is also perceptible in this simple, compact volumetry which limits its ground impact and allows the optimum utilisation of solar and wind power due to its excellent positioning.

Apart from its structural and technical qualities, the filigree, crystalline nature of the project permits its integration in the system of perspectives formed by the Hausmannian axes. This dialogue with the city is not however limited to its silhouette, but also defines the internal organisation and texture of the project.

The Triangle is conceived as a piece of the city that could be pivoted and positioned vertically. It is carved by a network of vertical and horizontal traffic flows of variable capacities and speeds. Like the boulevards, streets and more intimate passages of a city, these traffic flows carve the construction into islets of varying shapes and sizes.

This evocation of the urban fabric of Paris, at once classic and coherent in its entirety and varied and intriguing in its details, is encountered in the façade of the Triangle. Like that of a classical building, this one features two levels of interpretation: an easily recognisable overall form and a fine, crystalline silhouette of its façade which allows it to be perceived variously.

This “vertical city†district stands in close relation to its environment and is accessible to a highly diverse public. Taking up the analogy of urban squares, it offers each individual the opportunity to enter a complex of spaces open to all on its levels.

The base of the project is open to all, from the square of the Porte de Versailles and along the avenue Ernest Renan which regains the appearance of a Parisian street, with its shops and restaurants. An elevated square, on level with the roofs of Paris, will offer everyone a unique view of the district and the whole city. This visit might then be extended in the higher reaches of the Triangle, from where the entire metropolis can be discovered.

The Triangle will thus become one of the scenes of metropolitan Paris. It will not only be a landmark from which the urban panorama can be viewed, but also an outstanding silhouette in the system of axes and monuments of the city.

Herzog & de Meuron, 2008

 

[Minato ku]

There is other high-rises proposed inside Paris proper.
Four towers proposed in Massena southeastern inner Paris (13th arrondissement)

 

[TonyV]

I got my first look at Paris this past autumn. Overwhelmed, I was. Where do I start?

The only negative thing I can say about Paris is that the high-rises I saw (at a distance from central Paris) were detrimental to the appearance of the city. I may actually post some pictures to illustrate my thinking. Parisians should be cautious about these developments. I understand the need for high-rises in very high-density low-rise Paris, a great city which continues to grow in importance, but I am certain that some perils lurk therein.

The depictions here in this thread are imaginative, though, to say the least.

 

[jks]

idk, I think that Paris high-rises in general ruin the feel of the city, as they can be seen from everywhere. Of course, Paris really does need more space, and pretty much all of it is historic buildings. This poses a huge problem for all older European Cities, and will need a creative solution. As for this particular project, it's ineresting, I thing it might look to overwhelming from the front, being very bulky.

 

[Minato ku]

The thing that ruin the feel of the city are the tourist not the high-rises.
Paris can and should build high-rises. It is a global city, not a museum made for people wanting to see the "old world" or the so called most romantic city in Europe.

Tour Triangle has been approved by Paris city council.

 

[Second_in_pie]

The thing that ruin the feel of the city are the tourist not the high-rises.
Paris can and should build high-rises. It is a global city, not a museum made for people wanting to see the "old world" or the so called most romantic city in Europe.

Many, many European cities are worried about redevelopment of historic buildings. It's not a tourism thing, it's a civic history thing. How would you feel if someone proposed tearing down the CN Tower to build a more useful office tower, or if someone wanted to demo city hall to put up some condos? God forbid if someone proposed to redevelop Bloor West or Kensington Market.

I don't really like the look of this. It really doesn't look like it'll fit the theme it's set in. I'd be totally happy for them if they proposed some new buildings that complimented and/or fitted in with the city, but this looks like it'll just be alien. It almost looks like it would fit in better in La Defense, and maybe perhaps it's time for Paris to designate a region for new high-rise development, like a more residential version of La Defense.

 

[junctionist]

I'm surprised no one has said "that's so kitschy, it belongs in Las Vegas". It's the reaction that every new pyramid building seems to get from a minority.

 

[wyliepoon]

^ It doesn't belong in Las Vegas. It belongs in Pyongyang!

 

[Minato ku]

Many, many European cities are worried about redevelopment of historic buildings. It's not a tourism thing, it's a civic history thing. How would you feel if someone proposed tearing down the CN Tower to build a more useful office tower, or if someone wanted to demo city hall to put up some condos? God forbid if someone proposed to redevelop Bloor West or Kensington Market.

But it is not a monument here, nobody propose to destroy a monument, have you hver been in the area where will build this tower ?
Secondly a monument is not any building built before 1910, expecially in a city where these building are not rare.

These building would maybe be a monument in Toronto but not in Paris because these are very frequent.
Haussmannian building don't need to be all protected.
Fortunely for our economy and the need of the inhabitants because too much protection = segeration.

For having history you also need to build modern thing because the history of tomorrow is the present of today.
Imagine if the people had the same reaction before Paris would have the Eiffel tower, the Haussmannian boulevards etc...

I don't really like the look of this. It really doesn't look like it'll fit the theme it's set in. I'd be totally happy for them if they proposed some new buildings that complimented and/or fitted in with the city, but this looks like it'll just be alien. It almost looks like it would fit in better in La Defense, and maybe perhaps it's time for Paris to designate a region for new high-rise development, like a more residential version of La Defense.

La Defense is full, it couldn't grow a lot without many new public transportation, secondly La Defense (even extended) is far to be enouth for the big city that is Paris.
You need to know that only 7% of Paris office space are in la Defense and we need to remplace many old and outdated office building.
We also need many new housing building, our city doesn't had a lot of new empty space.
So we need destroy older building and building new and taller one.

I don't speak of building skyscrapers everywhere, I wouldn't agree of a skyscraper next to the Louvre or Notre Dame (even if I hate these district) but in Montparnasse where high-rises already exist it is good place.
Also near Gare de Lyon and Saint Lazare etc...

 

[allabootmatt]

Minato--I agree. There's no question that Paris is in desperate need of new office space; the difficulty of assembling enough is a huge deterrent to international companies looking to have a big presence in France. And just as many companies don't want to locate in Canary Wharf in London (because it's boring and remote), I think many would rather avoid La Defense--even expanded by EPAD, the development authority. Incidentally it's now billing itself as the biggest business district in Europe.

The good news is that this can be done without knocking down gorgeous old buildings in the 1ere and so on--the massive, exposed approach tracks of the Gare de l'Est, for example, would be a great place to start building, along with similar spots on the fringe of central Paris. There's plenty of expendable stuff in the 13eme, too--which is not really far out at all.

Paris thinking of itself as ''finished'' would be its final downfall as a business centre--and it needs all the help it can get to catch up again to London and even Frankfurt.

 

[Tewder]

For having history you also need to build modern thing because the history of tomorrow is the present of today.

So true, and I believe this is what US advocates for in that good design in our time and that is of our time will be the heritage of the future. That said, the sensibilities and contexts of Paris and Toronto are different, obviously, and our need to preserve heritage is far more urgent than that of Paris.