Paris bans the construction of towers/ What is behind the decision?

2023-06-14 08:34:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The French capital has established the "Plan Local d'Urbanisme", which limits the height of new buildings to 12 stories or 37 meters.

Paris has adopted a 'Plan Local d'Urbanisme' (or PLU) which its supporters say will promote more environmentally friendly construction.

The PLU came into effect after the Paris city council voted in favor of limiting the height of new buildings to 12 stories, or about 37 meters.

While some developers have tried to make the French capital look more like its UK counterpart, whose skyline has grown taller in recent years, many Parisians have rejected these planning demands.

Another reason behind the decision lies in the controversial construction of the Tour Triangle tower designed by the Swiss studio Herzog & de Meuron.

Starting construction work in 2021, the pyramid-shaped tower is slated for completion in 2026, but has been pushed back by backlash and delayed by 12 years due to various legal battles.

At its completion, Triangle Tour will be the city's third tallest building, housing a hotel, offices, shops and restaurants.

The building is trapezoidal in shape, which means it will look like a thin tower from the center of Paris, but from the east and west of the city, its width will be apparent.

Hidalgo explained her council's decision, saying the ban is part of a wider "bioclimatic" plan that will ensure Paris remains "attractive and pleasant in the coming years".

The change is said to have been strongly supported by councilor Émile Meunier, who has spoken out against attempts by some Parisian authorities to 'compete' with the City of London.

Critics say the UK capital has wrongly allowed a series of towers to be built over the past decade, including the now iconic Shard, which opened in 2013 and stands at 310m, and the 224m-high Leadenhall building, completed in 2014.

The PLU ban follows a growing global trend in restrictions on building heights. In China, to take one example, the government recently limited the height of towers to 500 meters, with buildings above 250 meters 'strictly limited', all while establishing the role of chief architects in its cities./ CNA.al