renzo piano to open paris's montparnasse commercial center back to the city

"Renzo Piano Building Workshop (RPBW) unveils a new vision for the Ensemble Immobilier Tour Maine-Montparnasse, a large-scale urban retrofit that transforms a closed 1970s retail complex into an open, pedestrian-focused piece of Paris. Commissioned by the co-owners of the Montparnasse Commercial Centre and the CIT Tower, the project unfolds in parallel with the ongoing redevelopment of the adjacent Montparnasse Tower, led by Nouvelle AOM. The two interventions aim to recalibrate one of the most contested sites of the city, shifting it from an inward-looking megastructure to a permeable urban district grounded in daily life, movement, and public space."

"The architects aim to open the site back to the city. New pedestrian routes cut through the block, linking Rue de Rennes, the Montparnasse station, and neighboring streets across three Parisian arrondissements. Ground floors become transparent and permeable, allowing visual and physical continuity through the site. A large planted piazza anchors this plan. Conceived as a protected civic space, shaded and removed from traffic, it is designed to host everyday activities rather than monumental gestures. Cafés, terraces, cultural programs, and sports facilities activate the square throughout the day, positioning it as a shared living room for the neighborhood."

Renzo Piano Building Workshop proposes a large-scale retrofit of the Ensemble Immobilier Tour Maine-Montparnasse to convert a closed 1970s retail slab into an open, pedestrian-oriented urban block. The proposal operates alongside the Montparnasse Tower redevelopment by Nouvelle AOM and seeks to replace an inward-looking megastructure with a permeable district grounded in daily life and movement. New pedestrian routes will connect Rue de Rennes, Montparnasse station, and neighboring streets across three arrondissements. Ground floors will be made transparent and porous. A shaded, planted piazza designed for everyday activities will host cafés, terraces, cultural programs, and sports facilities to activate the neighborhood throughout the day.

Read at designboom | architecture & design magazine