Foster & Partners' twin towers set to be built in Paris

Foster & Partners’ landmark Hermitage Plaza twin towers have been granded ‘permis de construie’ by authorities in Paris.

The project with two 320m high towers at its heart is set to form the centre of a new community east of the French capital’s La Défense district.

The result of a close collaboration with EPAD, the City of Courbevoie, Atelier de Paysage Urbain and Département de Hauts-de-Seine, the project is intended to inject life into the area, which extends down to the River Seine, by creating a sustainable, high-density community.

The two towers accommodate a hotel, spa, panoramic apartments, offices and serviced apartments, as well as shops at the base.

As they rise from an interlocking diamond-shaped plan, the towers turn outward to address views across Paris.

The angle of the façade panels promotes self-shading and vents can be opened to draw fresh air inside, contributing to an environmental strategy that targets a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating.

A crystal-shaped podium building contains office space, with two detached satellite buildings housing a gallery and auditorium that further extend the public realm.

Grant Brooker, a senior partner at Foster + Partners, said the latest planning advance was a step toward significant positive change for the district.

“Our ambition was to create a project that would inject new life into La Défense by bringing a new type of occupation and creating a new public focus on the edge of the Seine,” he said.

“This announcement represents a very important stage in the project’s development and is thanks to the passion of our client, Emin Iskenderov, and the support we have had from EPAD, the City of Courbevoie and the Département de Hauts-de-Seine - we could not have reached this milestone without them.”