Harman Patil (Editor)

Hermitage Plaza

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Status
  
On hold

Opening
  
2021

Roof
  
323 m (1,060 ft)

Construction started
  
2017

Architect
  
Norman Foster

Type
  
mixed use

Antenna spire
  
323 m (1,060 ft)

Cost
  
2.8 billion EUR

Estimated completion
  
2021

Hermitage Plaza wwwfosterandpartnerscommedia1450778img9jpg

Location
  
La Défense (Courbevoie, France)

Hermitage plaza phasage du futur chantier par bouygues


Hermitage Plaza is a project consisting of a podium and 6 buildings, including two towers, proposed by Hermitage Group for the Paris-La Défense business district. Upon completion in 2021, the two 323 metres (1,060 ft) tall towers with 93 and 91 floors will be the tallest buildings in the European Union.

Contents

Map of Hermitage Plaza, 92400 Courbevoie, France

Concept

Hermitage Plaza is a mixed-use project at the entrance of Europe's biggest central business district — La Défense in Paris — and is situated across the Seine River from the residential district of Neuilly-Paris. It will bring together programs of luxury serviced apartments, a 5-Star palace hotel, class-A offices, high-end retail, and the public and entertainment space. Placed along Paris' historical axis, linking the Louvre Palace, and its crystal pyramid, to the Arc de Triomphe and the Grande Arche of La Défense, Hermitage Plaza would have been visible from every corner of the capital.

The shape of the Hermitage Plaza is divided into two distinct volumes. The genesis of this design is the will to create optimum permeability of the site at ground level whilst maximizing the views from each of the two towers, as well as preserving views from the neighboring buildings. The design incorporates a number of distinguishing features such as:

  • The principal load-bearing columns are up to 8 meters apart, as opposed to the more conventional 6 meters found in contemporary tower structures.
  • An entirely automated pantograph system will be used to open the windows, allowing direct natural air circulation in the rooms, which is a real innovation for skyscrapers.
  • The technical rooms, usually placed on the roof, have been inserted in strategic floors (so that the pool's underlying structure would not diminish ceiling heights on any inhabitable floors) in order to provide breath-taking terraces and views to the top-floor luxury penthouses.
  • The triple-glazed façade grid framework is 1.75m wide, thus replacing commonly used 1.35m.

    • The project inscribes itself within the Paris-La Défense renewal plan, initiated and driven by the EPADESA (local planning authorities).

    History of the project

    The project is managed by Emin Iskenderov, a Russian property developer. The project was revealed by Norman Foster, on 11 March 2009 at the MIPIM (real estate show for professionals) which took place in Cannes, France. Hermitage Group had originally proposed a different design, by Jacques Ferrier, which was running for the Tour Signal contest. The Tour Signal contest was won by Jean Nouvel's project but Hermitage Group tried to have its towers built anyway. This was possible because Tour Signal's location was free and Ferrier's project was not planned to be at the same location as Nouvel's from the beginning. However Hermitage Group and Ferrier were soon at odds over undisclosed points and Ferrier left the project; Hermitage then announced it would order a new design from Norman Foster, which became the currently known one.

    Construction is scheduled to start by 2017 and to be completed by 2021. Hermitage SAS claims to have secured the financing of the project.

    References

    Hermitage Plaza Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA