Phare rivals Eiffel Tower

Paris has unveiled plans for a controversial 300m glass tower block. Designed by Californian architect Thom Mayne, the Phare (lighthouse) will be built in the French capital’s La Défense business district and, at only 20m shorter the Eiffel Tower, will rival the city’s tallest building.

Commercial skyscrapers have been banned in the historic centre for over 30 years, but La Défense, built by the then president Frances Mitterrand in 1989, wants to compete with business centres in other major cities like Amsterdam, Madrid and Moscow.

Back in July the government announced plans to upgrade the business centre with 450,000 sq m of new office space, including a bold architectural tower to be completed by 2013

Commissioned by client the property group Unibail, the Phare aims to provide a model of sustainable development. The gently slopping glass office block features wind turbines protruding from the roof.

Overall cost has been estimated to be around £610m, and once completed in 2012, the building will offer 130,000 sq m of office space.