The Tour Triangle, the first skyscraper to be approved in Paris in 46 years, is coming up in the Porte de Versailles neighbourhood of the city.
Designed by reputed Swiss architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron in 2008, the project soon ran into controversy with local residents and neighbourhood associations objecting to the proposal as they feared the building would overshadow their homes. With politicians also opposing the plan citing sustainability issues, the proposal finally landed in the Administrative Court of Paris, which has now given consent for the project.
The last skyscraper project to be approved in Paris was the Montparnasse in 1973. The Triangle’s approval followed a change made to Parisian planning laws, which now allows new buildings to be higher than 37 metres. While office buildings can be raised up to 180 metres in height, residential towers can go up to 50 metres.
Standing at 180 metres, the Tour Triangle is a 41-storey mixed use development by property group Unibail-Rodamco, comprising of a four star hotel, office space and cultural facilities. Herzog & de Meuron, the firm that designed the building, have prestigious projects such as the Beijing Olympic Stadium and New York's Parrish Art Museum in their portfolio.
Construction is expected to begin later this year and will be completed ahead of the Olympic Games in 2024. On completion, Tour Triangle will be Paris’ third tallest building after the 324-metre Eiffel Tower and the 209-metre Montparnasse Tower.
