MAD architects proposes to transform paris' tour montparnasse

following an international competition launched in 2016, MAD architects has now revealed its renovation proposal for the famed parisian skyscraper, ‘tour montparnasse‘. the shortlisted design transforms the huge black monolithic building — positioned in the city center — into an artistic lighting installation that presents an upside down reflection of the city.

all images courtesy of MAD architects, video produced by mir

MAD’s design uses concave principles to create a dramatic optical illusion. by setting every glass panel of the façade at a specific angle, the building itself becomes a city-scale mirror. the streets and rooftops of the neighboring buildings appear as if they are hanging in the sky; while the sky is reflected onto the lower section of the building, blending into its environment.

the proposal is currently on show at pavillion de l’arsenal, paris

‘at the time when it was built, montparnasse tower, like the eiffel tower, represented the pride and achievements of its era,’ explains ma yansong, lead architect at MAD. ‘it is mankind’s worship of technology and power that has created this tyrannical monument. it stands out amidst classical paris. today, we cannot really demolish this building and the historical regrets it stands for, but we can establish a new perspective to re-examine and think about how humanity can co-exist and interact with the tower and its environment, to bring meaning to our hearts.’

completed in 1973, the 59-storey structure was the last skyscraper to be built in paris

in september 2017, nouvelle AOM, a consortium of three french firms, was chosen to complete the project. the €300 million renovation, financed entirely by the tower’s co-owners, is set to complete in time for the paris olympic games in 2024. see the project in full here.

the design uses concave principles to create a dramatic optical illusion

MAD architects was one of seven shortlisted firms to participate in the competition

the mechanism behind the design

project info:

directors in charge: ma yansong, qun dang, yosuke hayano
associates in charge: kin li, andrea d’antrassi
design team: li guangchong, jordan kanter, jacob hu, marco gastoldi, matthew pugh, felix amiss, yan ran, casey kell, ben yuqiang, zhao meng, rozita kahirtseva, torsten radunski, young kang, li liang
lead architect: MAD architects
executive architect: DGLa
structural engineers: terrell
MEP engineers: NOX ingénierie
façade consultant: VS-A
façade – reflection consultant: elxir / philppe bompas
fire prevention: CSD faces
acoustic consultant: acoustique et conseil
lighting consultant: l’observatoire international / hervé descottes
environmental consultant: NOX oxygène
asbestos reclamation: NOX curage desamiantage demolition
lift consultants: movveo