黑洞社区

Paris 2012. French people won鈥檛 be swept by the Olympics frenzy. Instead of the new iconic (or not) sports facilities of London, Paris will see the completion of ambitious office schemes. The design of one of them, Thom Mayne鈥檚 300m Phare tower for Unibail in the D茅fense business district, was unveiled recently.

The Phare is a fresh departure from the soulless, bland, office blocks that surround the French capital. One visit to these drab commercial areas makes it easier to understand why France鈥檚 bright financial brains are more likely to be found in Canary Wharf or Wall Street than La D茅fense.

Paris may not be the poor relation to London, New York and Milan for much longer. Around 450,000m虏 of office space is being planned over the next five years and it won鈥檛 be run of the mill.

Almost 20 new towers, which have to be 鈥樏ヽolo鈥�, that鈥檚 French for energy efficient, will sprout from the ground. Signature architects such as Jean Nouvel are expected to redesign the commercial face of Paris. It鈥檒l be an urban revolution in a town scarred by failed attempts at building high. Two words shall suffice in summing up previous efforts: Tour Montparnasse.

The driving force behind this building boom? 2007 presidential candidate Nicolas Sarkozy, the head of the region and the man in charge of a development committee for the D茅fense district. He does not have everyone鈥檚 backing. The socialist mayor of Paris opposes the high-density projects and others are concerned the commercial expansion will jeopardise the badly-needed increase in housing stock.

Avant-garde art lover George Pompidou got his Piano-Rogers art gallery. Classical history and literature aficionado Fran莽ois Mitterrand left a national library and the Louvre pyramid. Jacques Chirac commissioned Jean Nouvel鈥檚 Quay Branly museum. If elected president, Sarkozy鈥檚 legacy might not be that arty. He wants to be the man who shakes France from her inertia, apathy and malaise. For him this can only be achieved through competitive businesses.

The next presidential election but one will be held in 2012. It鈥檒l be also the year in which observers will assess whether the 2007 winner has brought France into the 21st century, with architecture to match.