Five architects, including Studio Daniel Libeskind (above and below), Ateliers Jean Nouvel and Foster + Partners, have been shortlisted to design Tour Signal, a high-rise building at La Défense business district in Paris.
French architects Jacques Ferrier Architectures and Wilmotte et Associés SA are also shortlisted.
The shortlist was announced at the MIPIM property fair in Cannes last week. Above: Jacques Ferrier Architectures.
Above: Ateliers Jean Nouvel
Above: Foster + Partners
Above: Wilmotte et Associés SA
Here’s some info from competition organisers EPAD:
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The La Défense business district is at a turning point in its development. The prime centre for European business must continue to assert and strengthen its place among the great international business districts.
With the establishment of the La Défense Renewal Plan, EPAD has undertaken a strategic and prospective study with the aim of sustainable development and architectural innovation, two aspects which play a full part in its economic attractiveness.
Therefore, in July 2007, EPAD launched an international call for projects for the construction of the Tour Signal, which forms an integral part of this plan. It is a question of exploring the organisational, programmatic, technological and aesthetic proposals that might extend and enhance the special characteristics of La Défense. Due for completion in 2015, the Tour Signal will symbolise the renewal of La Défense. This new high-rise building will add a Very High Emotional Quality to the previous symbolic and historic architectural constructions in the La Défense district, such as the CNIT and the Grande Arche.
For this call for projects, EPAD deliberately did not impose a site. The candidates were thus able to choose their sites either from among the entrances to the business district (South Gate and West Gate), either from sites subject to demolition operations. The Tour Signal will thus endow the business district with a new landmark.
Today at MIPIM, the Tour Signal project is moving into its second stage, with the disclosure of the identity of the 5 fi nalist projects that are competing for selection of the winning project, which is planned for the end of April 2008.
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Posted by Marcus Fairs
is it me or do most of these look previously done?
March 20th, 2008 at 12:43 pmi.e. libeskind= freedom tower
wilmotte=SOM http://www.som.com/content.cfm/jinling_tower
no one seems to be able to do something surprising.
March 20th, 2008 at 1:52 pmla defense is such a dull place to me.
definitely lacking imagination with a couple of the proposals. I would like to see Foster+P’s taken further - slideshow of it here:
March 20th, 2008 at 2:16 pmhttp://www.tour-signal-ladefense.com/en/fi2d.html#
woffffffff, all of them are HORRIBLE. I’m curious about Nouvel’s - the section doesn’t show much. Perhaps that’s the only good one. His work is dark and amazing at the same time.
March 20th, 2008 at 2:34 pmThey changed the design in NY so Libeskind is moving it to Paris.
March 20th, 2008 at 4:08 pmSOM doesn’t have the illusion of sloping floors.
Wilmotte ’s tower is not twisting…
March 20th, 2008 at 4:19 pmhah, you know you are in trouble when SOM can out design your design firm. (note: I have nothing against SOM here, I actually respect them more than most design firms, but really…)
March 20th, 2008 at 5:29 pmwhat happened to the Morphosis tower on the other side of la defence?
March 20th, 2008 at 5:54 pmJean Nouvel is my favourite, even it looks rather simple, but seems has more public spaces than d’ rest.
Actually i much prefer d’ one done by Manuelle Gautrand & unlucky they are not ind finalist.
http://tour-signal-ladefense.com/en/cd6.html
March 20th, 2008 at 6:04 pmI’m not really excited by either one of the entries. It all looks a bit bland and safe. And about the Morphosis-tower: you can see it in the top-most picture, behind other buildings on the right-hand side. I am curious why Nouvel’s tower is the only one without a slick, over-photoshopped picture?
March 20th, 2008 at 7:58 pmhow zuy said, wilmotte’s tower is not twisted (unlike the one of SOM). it s three volumes with a triangular basis which are inclined to open the tower on the top and bottom - on the bottom to create a public space between the three volumes which is an open air space. that IS surprising
March 20th, 2008 at 10:34 pmthey are horrible !!!
March 21st, 2008 at 9:15 amsee the tordjman’s project, he was candidate, it’s great !!!
french have bad taste, the contest is totally politic
http://www.htordjman.com/
March 21st, 2008 at 9:17 amParis is branding the city …. and need to integrate an innovative skyline
March 21st, 2008 at 12:05 pmseen from Paris because the business center is outside Paris, in the suburbs … What about copyright of tower?
see the view from “arc de triomphe”
http://www.developpementdurablelejournal.com/UserFiles/Image/imageJourLaDefense.jpg
March 21st, 2008 at 12:08 pmthe morphosis tower is in design development now and is on track for realization. given the look of these new proposals at la defense, i think the morphosis tower will still stand out as the new iconic image of the development.
March 22nd, 2008 at 6:24 amParis: Serero Architects unveils its design for the extension of the Eiffel Tower top floor. The project will extend the top floor plate of the tower by grafting a high performance carbon Kevlar structure on it. The structure will be temporarily bolted to the slab without requiring any modification of the existing structure. It will expand the usable floor area from 280 m2 to 580m2.
March 22nd, 2008 at 9:09 ami’m agree with Billy Paris needs a new iconic image + eiffel tower ( see previous funny post)
March 22nd, 2008 at 11:46 ami’m agree with Oarchy too , but only some french presidents had bad taste…see the Bastille Opera, Bercy finance ministery, aso…
ok so what will the public of this worthy zeen vote on, as the best for the job?
i am curious to know!
March 23rd, 2008 at 4:26 amThe fragtal design of american Daniel Libeskind is better for this place, we have with him a new Eiffel tower….near a new arc de triomphe
March 23rd, 2008 at 6:12 pmOther drawings are so symetric:
-we do not need an other arc de triomphe(Ferrier), it’s enought with 2,
-nor too simple volumes as Pei pyramid or TGB(perrault) …
- I like Foster in London, competition with paris.
- i like Nouvel ( institut du monde arabe, Branly) ….
i wonder if Miz Hadid joined.
March 24th, 2008 at 8:33 amjaques ferrier best project.
March 26th, 2008 at 5:26 pmI propose Nouvels Tour Sans Fin be built at last. I felt that was elegant enough for Paris.
March 27th, 2008 at 3:54 amby the way, is there an update to the massive Les Halles project under consideration a few years ago?
March 27th, 2008 at 3:56 amSDL all the way. Agreed that none are mind blowing, but at least Libeskind’s has impact. And is it really that similar to freedom tower? a) so what if it is..that ones not getting built
April 1st, 2008 at 4:50 pm