The tall, monolithic block of apartments build in 1966 and located at 64 Boulevard du Jardin Exotique, is being demolished to make way for more housing. The new Bel Air building complex will house 197 units and is part the national housing plan. The building is being created with the environment in mind and will be given a Mediterranean Sustainable Buildings certification.
Work has already begun on the new Bel Air complex, designed by architect Patrick Raymond, a project with an estimated budget of 155 million euros. Construction of the new complex is due to be complete in four years time. Once demolition is completed, three new buildings will be created, with 48 two-room apartments, 81 three-room apartments, 61 four-room apartments and 7 five-room apartments. The complex also includes plans for a shop, ten offices, a daycare for 50 children and a parking lot with 300 spaces.
According to a meeting at the end of March 2022, when the Government first presented the Bel Air complex idea to the National Council, the new complex will be created while taking all precautions to limit the impact on the nearby Princess Grace Hospital Centre as much as possible.
“The Government confirms that housing for Monegasques is an absolute priority,” said the Princely Government during the meeting.
Reusing, repurposing and upcycling the old building’s plumbing, electrical equipment and marble flooring
The new Bel Air complex will reintegrate as many elements of the existing building as possible. A specialized service provider was commissioned with the mission of identifying all the objects and equipment that could be reused. Because Monaco has limited storage space, electrical equipment from the old Bel Air apartments (lights, switches, electrical panels) plumbing equipment (taps, sinks, air conditioning units) and safety equipment (fire extinguishers) were all picked up and stored in La Turbie. Heaters from the boiler room were also recovered and transferred to the Cèdres and Mélèzes State buildings, allowing their fuel heating systems to be updated, bringing the buildings into compliance (Monaco’s ban on fuel heating came into effect in January 2022).
Materials from the 1960s building will also be reused in the new construction. 150 square metres of marble and travertine from the flooring in the common areas will be recovered, broken into small pieces, and mixed with a resin to create new floors for the entrance halls of the three buildings. The stairwells and the facade of the old Bel Air entrance will also be reused, creating less waste and giving elements from the old building a new life.
