Delight

Architectural Review, The, Nov, 2004

Though the 2004 Athens Olympics are now a fading memory and the 2008 Beijing Games a glimmer on the horizon, the great Olympic bidding circus rolls on. Paris is one of five candidate cities (along with London, Madrid, Moscow and New York) currently pulling out the stops to secure the 2012 Games. With its experience of hosting the 1998 soccer World Cup and a reliable, modern, transport infrastructure, the French capital is one of the favourites, but to keep the city in the spotlight, the Parisian authorities propose constructing a new Olympic landmark on a site in Les Batignolles which will be the location for the Olympic Village should Paris win. It also signposts a major urban redevelopment of the languishing Batignolles neighbourhood, using the Olympics as a catalyst.

Earlier this year an international competition was held to find a suitably arresting landmark. Over 400 entries were submitted and judges included Peter Cook, Jean Nouvel and Shigeru Ban. French duo Yves Pages and Benoit Le Thierry d'Ennequin won the day and their design will be constructed early next year. Their winning entry takes the form of an 80m high incandescent, flexible, lightweight tower designed to move with the wind, that soars and bends precipitously over the city. The tower also supports a 30m high viewing platform from which visitors can survey the city in general and the rejuvenation of Les Batignolles in particular. A circle of helium rings in Olympic colours will be illuminated at night, adding a playful, Pop Art touch to the Parisian skyline. An exhibition of all competition entries is on show throughout November at the Pavillon de l'Arsenal in Paris. What would Baron Haussmann think? C.S.

www.pavillon-arsenal.com