Paris Tour Montparnasse: Rise, Controversy and Renovation of a Paris Skyscraper

Paris's Skyscraper Saga

The B1M takes viewers through the rise and reception of Tour Montparnasse, a 210 metre tall skyscraper in Paris's historic Montparnasse district. It explains how the building grew from a 150 metre plan to a 59-storey monument funded in part by an American developer, and how Parisians responded with a long-standing caution about tall towers.

Engineering Feats and Challenges

The video details the unique foundation solution required by a metro line running beneath the tower, including reinforced tunnels, deep pile foundations, and slip forming that allowed the building to rise rapidly around a central concrete core.

Renovation and Debate

Today, plans by Nouvelle AOM aim to soften the tower's monolithic presence with horizontal bands, sky gardens and glass façades, sparking debate about whether Paris should keep, modify, or erase its most controversial skyscraper.

Introduction: Paris as a Stage for Modern Architecture

The B1M uses Paris to explore how a city with a long architectural tradition negotiates modern ambition. The Tour Montparnasse becomes the focal point for a wider discussion about tall buildings in Europe and the tension between preserving a historic cityscape and pursuing contemporary economic needs.

The Montparnasse Plan: From Old Quarter to Modern District

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the Montparnasse area—a historic hub for artists and musicians—was targeted for redevelopment. Edgar Bazzani, a senator and state prefect, spearheaded a four-phase plan intended to attract office workers back to central Paris. Phase one introduced housing blocks on either side of the Montparnasse station, phase three planned a shopping mall and the all-important skyscraper, and phase four covered station redevelopment. By 1966, phase one was complete but the skyscraper faced significant hurdles, both structural and economic.

Economic and Engineering Breakthroughs

The project needed substantial funding; the French state initially struggled to raise 65 million francs. An American developer, Wiley Tuttle, stepped in and expanded the tower by roughly 60 metres, reaching 59 storeys. The arrangement allowed more tenants and revenue, finally enabling construction to proceed. A critical engineering challenge was building around a metro line, which ran directly under the tower’s footprint and threatened to cause subsidence if not carefully managed. The solution involved reinforcing the tunnel with concrete walls, constructing a protective roof, and sinking 60-metre piles to reach stable clay beds. The core was accompanied by a steel superstructure and, crucially, a slip forming method that kept the 122,000 tonne building rising continuously, at about 30 centimetres per day.

Architectural Response and Public Backlash

Paris’s uniform limestone aesthetic, heavily influenced by Baron Haussmann, clashed with the dramatic verticality of the Montparnasse tower. Parisians cherished their classical skyline and landmarks, such as the Eiffel Tower and Louvre, which the new high-rise appeared to threaten. The controversy around the Montparnasse project was so intense that in 1977 a city-wide ban on buildings over 25 metres in central Paris was enacted and lasted 33 years, shaping Paris’s later approach to tall buildings. The episode demonstrates the persistent tension between modernization and preserving a legacy urban fabric.

From Controversy to Renovation: A New Vision

In the 2010s, political debates continued around the feasibility and desirability of demolishing or radically altering the tower. A pivotal plan in 2017 by Nouvelle AOM sought to transform the monolithic block with horizontal bands and sky gardens, making the exterior more porous and better ventilated. The renovation focuses on a more open façade that could improve natural ventilation and energy efficiency, while the notable transparent glazing is intended to help the tower blend with the surrounding city—though some historians worry that the changes might dilute a landmark’s historical significance.

Conclusion: The Tower’s Place in Paris’s Future

The Tour Montparnasse remains a symbol of the ongoing debate about how cities evolve. Whether it ultimately earns a place as a graceful, integrated part of Paris’s skyline or as a controversial relic will depend on the renovation’s success and evolving aesthetic and urban planning choices in the years ahead.