French Deputy Prime Minister Patrick Devedjian provided some Gallic flair to the last day of Cityscape Dubai 2009, delivering a half-hour presentation on Paris La Defense, which aims to become the new commercial capital of Europe.
French Deputy Prime Minister Patrick Devedjian provided some Gallic flair to the last day of Cityscape Dubai 2009, delivering a half-hour presentation on Paris La Defense, which aims to become the new commercial capital of Europe.
The centrally located project, comprising a mixture of renovations and new builds, plans to develop 3.2 million m2 of office space within 15 towers ranging between 35 and 301 metres high.
The EUR 33 bn all-encompassing development targets banking, financial, energy and insurance companies as well as hotels, universities, schools and research centres, housing up to 20,000 residents upon completion.
Minister Devedjian said EUR 23 mln of funding had been secured in 10 months and he was confident the financial crisis would not impact the project, which was launched in 2006.
´The crisis has given us the opportunity to create a new financial city which will serve as the new commercial capital of Europe - this is our ambition,' he said, surrounded by delegates on the Paris La Defense stand. 'For the first time in France, towers will integrate a mix of functions.'
Leading architects such as Tom Mayne, Norman Foster and Jean Nouvel are on board and the towers are being designed to LEED, BREEAM and HQE standards. The 301-metre Tour Signal, Tour Phare and Tour Generali (both 300 metres) are among the most striking towers, and the 343-room Hotel Radisson will also make an eye-catching landmark.
The new-look district will enjoy good transport links, with the Champs Elysees five minutes away by Metro or express train, and convenient access to international rail networks, Roissy-Charles de Gaulle and Orly Airports.
