What is unquestionably one of Paris’s least-loved buildings and often cited as its ugliest is slated to get a second chance with approval last month of plans for a new facade and other changes for the Tour Montparnasse, the French capital’s only true skyscraper.
Since the building opened in 1973, it’s been a sore point for many, sticking up like a sore thumb from its surroundings and covered with a dark facade that seems forbidding, even up close.
The new plan, which has been in the works since 2023, will result in a lighter appearance, much greater climate sustainability, and even a rooftop greenhouse to produce fruit and vegetables.
At present, most of the 100,000 square meters of office space is vacant, which will make the job feasible. Essentially, the tower will be stripped to its steel skeleton and rebuilt with more efficient cooling, heating and mechanical systems as well as the light-colored facade.
Work is expected to start later this year, and will also include updating and renovating shopping areas at the base, and replacing concrete plazas with gardens and trees.
