Four international teams of architects have been shortlisted to design the proposed refurbishment of the Eiffel Tower.
Ahead of the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games, the City of Paris seeks to completely overhaul the world-famous tower with one of the primary objectives being to reimagine the visitor experience.
The Eiffel Tower draws nearly seven million tourists each year and the €300m ($470 million) refurbishment project aims to renovate the tower structure as well as improve visitor facilities.
City authorities had announced plans for refurbishing the Eiffel Tower last year. Initially put up as a temporary structure in 1889, the iconic tower continues to be the most important landmark in Paris with the city spending €14 million ($22 million) each year on its upkeep. However, several issues in the 128-year-old structure needed to be fixed, leading to the refurbishment project.
The four shortlisted architects will now compete for the chance to reimagine the Eiffel Tower visitor experience.
To be executed over a 15-year period, the Eiffel Tower refurbishment will also encompass improvements to the approach roads, security upgrade, and illumination. However, important works will be completed before the Olympic Games in 2024.
Architects competing for the project include: Amanda Levete's London-based firm AL_A in partnership with landscape architects Gross Max and urban design expert Ricky Burdett; Gustafson Porter + Bowman in collaboration with architects Chartier and Corbasson, Atelier Monchecourt & Co, and urban planners Sathy, and Devillers & Associés Agency; French studio KOZ Architects with architects Junya Ishigami and Niclas Dünnebacke; and French landscapers Agence Ter working with architects Carlo Ratti and Explorations Architecture.
The winner will be announced in early 2019.
