This is a massive urban development/ redevelopment in Marseille, France.
The information is overwhelming but here are a few stats:
~ Almost 1,200 acres of total development
~ 10 million sq ft of office and business space
~ 2 million sq ft of retail
~ 18,000 housing units
~ Seven Billion Euro investment.
~ 50 acres of green and public space
There are several international architects contributing to the project.
The website can be viewed here (in French or English): EuroMediterranee
Here is a excerpt from the website:
Created by leading international architects such as Zaha Hadid, Jean Nouvel, Massimiliano Fuksas and Rudy Ricciotti, these structures promote the transformation and attractiveness of the Euroméditerranée hub, while their sustainable designs complement Notre Dame de la Garde and the Cathedral de la Major.
The CMA CGM Headquarters Tower makes a bold statement. Designed by Zaha Hadid, the 33-floor building of glass, concrete and steel is 148 meters high. By late 2009, the 55,000 square meter office will host the 2,700 employees of France’s largest (and the world’s third-largest) shipping company.
The Arenc Grain Silo, an important vestige of Marseille’s industrial history, will be transformed into a 2,000-plus seat theater, inspired by the Olympia in Paris, and office space designed by Eric Castaldi and Roland Carta.
The Museum of the Civilization of Europe and the Mediterranean (MuCEM), the first great national museum created by the French Government outside of Paris, is a complex technological challenge. Developed by Rudy Ricciotti and Roland Carta, it is a 19-meter tall cube. The concrete latticework exterior reflects an Asian influence, and is designed to protect the collections inside from the sun. On the J4, the MuCEM is connected by a bridge to Fort Saint-Jean, which has been renovated to host temporary exhibits.
The Regional Center for the Mediterranean (CRM) Of bold architecture, this facility created by Stefano Boeri is designed in the shape of “C,” with a lower part submerged and a 40-meter door overhang in its upper part (the largest door overhang in Europe). This site for artistic creativity will host major events, seminars and exhibitions on culture, economy, environment, heritage, urban planning and other themes.
Les Terrasses du Port. The flagship of the Cité de la Méditerranée, the Terrasses du Port, is a veritable oasis within the city. Created by Michel Petiaud-Letang, this facility features a 40,000 square meter retail area, a 13,000 square meter esplanade that is open to the sea, and promenades with cafes, restaurants, fitness facilities, a pool and even a stadium for beach soccer. The construction of a 3,000-space underground parking facility is also planned, along with a large indoor mall built perpendicular to the Docks building.
Euromed Center will cover 70,000 square meters and house a convention center, a four-star Marriott hotel and a 3,000 seat movie multiplex designed by Massimiliano Fuksas and operated by the French filmmaker/director/producer Luc Besson. The architect designed a site that reflects the imagination of Besson, whose passion for the sea is well known. GORE-TEX fabric stretches over large metal structures, evoking the silhouettes of dolphins and other forms gently eroded by water and wind.
The Arenc Quays, a project initiated by the real estate group Constructa, includes a housing complex of four buildings, each designed by leading architects from different backgrounds: Jean Nouvel, Yves Lion, Roland Carta and Jean-Baptiste Pietri. Two high-rise, luxury residential buildings (114 and 99 meters high) and two office buildings, one a tower 135 meters high, will create a bustling neighborhood with an indoor street featuring many shops on the ground floor. The four buildings, classified HEP (High Energy Performance), will also house state of the art office space.
