PARIS | New Axa Tower | 787 FT / 240 M | 56 FLOORS
Work has started on the refurbishment and heightening of the old AXA Tower (159m/522ft) due to be turned into a 240m/787ft skyscraper with a different design and different cladding.
Some pictures of the old AXA Tower:
To be replaced by:
New Axa Tower 56 floors Height: 240m (780 ft) with spire, roof height 225.11m (738.5 ft) Floor space: 86,707.1 m² (933,307.5 sq. ft) Architects: Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates / SRA Architects Developer: SCI Vendôme Assur Due to be completed and opened: end of 2009-beginning of 2010
New Axa Tower in a model of La Défense (Generali and Air² towers are missing):
New Axa Tower to the right, Generali and Air² are shown:
It's pretty amazing how portions of the original building will be cut away and others extended to make a completely new design. The sprire, along with the curves, will really compliment the boxy La Defence skyline- though I am one who doesn't see the boxy skyline as bad. Most of the buildings in La Defence may be boxy, but their curtain walls seem to a have a refined high quality look, so personally I think La Defence has great quality architecture.