the eiffel tower will soon be surrounded by a giant new park

landscape architecture firm gustafson porter + bowman has won a competition to re-imagine the area surrounding the eiffel tower in paris. the project involves the transformation of the site around a central green axis, which contains a series of different landscapes. spanning an area of 54 hectares, the first phase of the development is to be completed in time for the 2024 olympics, which will be held in the french capital for the first time since 1924.

a new and enlivened public space unfolds from the varsovie fountains
image © mir (also main image)

30 million people visit the eiffel tower each year. however, the site has become a victim of its popularity with issues such as over-crowding, impaired accessibility, lack of services, and congested gardens impacting on the experience of the famous landmark. in order to find solutions for these problems, the city of paris initiated a major international competition that called for resilient, inclusive, and environmentally-oriented designs.

the pont d’iéna has been re-imagined as green promenade
image © mir

gustafson porter + bowman’s winning scheme celebrates the eiffel tower at the center of an axis that connects the place du trocadéro, the palais de chaillot, the pont d’iéna, the champ de mars, and the ecole militaire. a series of landscapes converge along this spine: an amphitheater of greenery restores space to pedestrians at the place du trocadéro, while a new and enlivened public space unfolds from the varsovie fountains towards the pont d’iéna — which itself has been re-imagined as green promenade.

an amphitheater of greenery restores space to pedestrians at the place du trocadéro
image © mir

closer to the landmark, the forecourt of the eiffel tower caters to the crowds with additional services and facilities discreetly hidden among the trees, while the raised lawns of the champ de mars protect and elevate the landscape. the scheme also creates spaces of pleasure and contemplation that punctuate the length of the site, prioritizing the human scale. ‘new perspectives are framed and staged, rebalancing the gravitational pull of the eiffel tower and activating a sense of arrival throughout,’ explains the design team.

the project involves the transformation of the site around a central green axis
image © gustafson porter + bowman

‘this competition has been especially meaningful to me because I studied in paris at l’école nationale supérieure de paysage,’ says kathryn gustafson, founding partner of gustafson porter + bowman. ‘every day I passed the eiffel tower, on my way to a school where I was immersed in the great historic landscapes of versailles. the eiffel tower reminds me that patrimony means leaving something better for future generations. our proposal unites a celebration of history with an enhancement of the future.’

the first phase of the redevelopment is to be completed by 2023
image © gustafson porter + bowman

the design brings together two historic landscape typologies: classical french gardens, characterized by major axes that express power; and french picturesque gardens, places of artistic experimentation. throughout the urban landscape, green routes and gardens introduce biodiversity, while serving as venues for temporary events and creative pursuits. the first phase of the redevelopment is to be completed by 2023, with further phases ongoing until 2030.

masterplan forecasting the site in 2030
image © gustafson porter + bowman

project info:

client
: city of paris – 
eiffel tower team
area: 54 hectares
budget
: €40 million

team —
design team lead and landscape architecture: gustafson porter + bowman
architecture
: chartier-corbasson architects
heritage architects
: atelier monchecourt & co

urban activation: SATHY
civil engineering
: MA-GEO
legal & financial advisor: ariane dienstag SAS
mobility: devillers & associates
structural engineering
: bollinger + grohmann
lighting design
: 8’18
safety & security: gévolys
digital product agency
: area 17
furniture, signage & wayfinding
: studio brichet ziegler
architectural programming
: yris amo
MEP & sustainability: INEX SAS
acoustics: AVEL
art, culture and event planning
: manifesto
exhibition design
: ducks scéno

geotechnical engineering
: SEMOFI
soil ecology
: sol paysage
traffic analysis: CDVIA
crowd modelling: movement strategies
urbanist & sociologist: prof. alain bourdin
quantity surveyor: VPEAS
construction coordination
: S.C.O
BIM management
: BIM services
fountain design: JML