Michel Etienne Turgot, Borough President of the City of Paris in 1734, commissioned to the drafter Louis Bretez the most beautiful and accurate representation of Paris in the ‘Ancien Régime’.
Based on this representation, it is evident that most bridges in the City at that time are living quarters and perform as actual buildings, fully integrated into the bridge itself. The same typology is found in the historic ‘Ponte Vecchio’ in Florence, that survives unaltered to this date, with its direct relationship between ‘bridge architecture’ and the river.
The center of Paris is deeply characterized by the extraordinary presence of the Seine River, touching the historic monuments such as the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower and the Grande Palais. These are all landmarks that provide orientation in the city, as authentic milestones.
We think that the historic city can still develop and grow its density vertically, respecting and highlighting the existing context. The grand open spaces of Paris, and particularly the Place de la Concorde, have the potential of integrating the new 400-meter high building, made of two narrow (12 meter) and long (216 meter) volumes. The building is integrated with the Seine, becoming a new landmark and offering the historic center the development of the most varied programmatic elements, including recreational, cultural, residential, and performing spaces.
The new bridge for the city is a living one.
