How do you double the size of the Fontvieille Commercial Centre in a sustainable way? How do you create the largest green space in Monaco? How do you plan this without knowing whether the talked about overhead Gondala cable cars will be approved as part of the solution? And if the largest, most futuristic multi-year “green-urban” project of its type is to go ahead, how do you keep the Commercial Centre running for years while you reshape a significant part of the Principality. You do it by partnering with the best in the field with a track record of greening urban spaces – and you do it by budgeting an awe-inspiring sum of 300 million euros. Fortunately the Principality didn’t have to look too far – neither for the expertise nor for evidence of what they had already achieved. Think Montpellier where the Socri Reim group is located and Cagnes sur Mer for example. It is Jean Mus who imagined the Polygone Riviera, at Cagnes sur Mer, France’s first lifestyle shopping centre in an indoor-outdoor setting and he is one of the key players in the Fontvieille project.
The project for the Principality has been under study for years and culminated in the signing of a partnership between the government and Montpellier’s Socri Reim group. The signing just recently took place on November 22nd.
The operation will be in the hands of the architect Massimiliano Fuksas and his Monegasque colleague Alexis Blanchi of AB Architecture. The cabinet barcelonais L35 is in the team too and last but certainly not least the 2 hectare park is to be landscaped by Jean Mus.
Imagine about 30,000 square metres of commercial space which will include the Carrefour hypermarket, a new cinema complex, significantly enlarged parking spaces, a redesign of the remaining commercial spaces and 41 state-owned houses. The plan calls for delivery by 2027.
What sets this project apart is the conviction that man and his environment come first before conventional real estate practice. And the idea that Fontvieille be greener than any other neighbourhood is a very interesting thought in itself. Think a profusion of trees, a real urban forest, a unique environment – the most ambitious that can be achieved today in this area. And think sustainability – there will be large rainwater recovery tanks and the treatment of wastewater for on-site reuse. And there will be managed energy consumption, thanks to a production of solar energy. The aim is for exceptional quality of life and constant concern to protect the planet. The project seeks certifications and labels demonstrating its “green credentials” including BD2M, Biodiversity, BREEAM, One Living Planet, BBCA, Well Building Standard and Effinergie.
