Toulouse, France
City population: 703385
Duration: 2018 – 2022
Implementation status: Ongoing
Scale: Sub-microscale: Street scale (including buildings)
Project area: unknown
Type of area: Central Business District / City Centre, Building
Last updated: November 2021

The 40-storey mixed-use skyscraper will serve as an economic catalyst for the French city’s central business district and comprise offices, a hotel, a restaurant, and residences. The tree-covered areas of the tower will give the building its iconic appearance and a portion of that green space will be open to public use (Ref. 1). Trees will line the platform of the building and a ribbon of gardens will curl around the glass facade to its full height (Ref. 2).

A twisting white skyscraper with vegetation wrapping around it
https://inhabitat.com/daniel-libeskind-unveils-twisted-tree-covered-skyscraper-for-toulouse/daniel-libeskind-green-tower-twisting/

Overview

Nature-based solution

  • Nature on buildings (external)
  • Green walls or facades

Key challenges

  • Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
  • Climate change mitigation
  • Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
  • Green space creation and/or management
  • Environmental quality
  • Air quality improvement
  • Regeneration, land-use and urban development
  • Regulation of built environment
  • Health and well-being (SDG 3)
  • Improving mental health
  • Creation of opportunities for recreation
  • Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
  • Economic development: service sectors
  • Tourism support
  • Real estate development
  • Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
  • Protection of historic and cultural landscape/infrastructure

Focus

Creation of new green areas

Project objectives

Set to be the first skyscraper in the city, the tower’s curvaceous form is interrupted by a spiral of greenery that rises from street level up to the 40th floor. Integrated into the overall form of the building, the façade and public platform is a continuous vertical landscape. This vertical green ribbon reference the waterway of Canal du Midi that winds through the city. Trees will line the platform of the building and a ribbon of gardens will curl around the glass facade to its full height (Ref. 5). On-site greenery will contribute to the project's aim to reduce the facility's carbon emissions (Ref. 2).

Implementation activities

On December 1st 2016, SNCF unveiled the companies selected to carry out the urban project. In March 2017 Toulouse Mayor Jean-Luc Moudenc unveiled the project of a skyscraper retained to be built right next to the Matabiau station (Ref. 10). Studio Libeskind designed the Occitanie Tower for property developer Compagnie de Phalsbourg. Studio Libeskind will collaborate with Toulouse architect Francis Cardete on the project. Construction is slated for 2018, to be completed by 2022 (Ref. 3). The status of the project remains in its design phase. Trees will line the platform of the building and a ribbon of gardens will curl around the glass facade to its full height (Ref. 2). -"It is intended to become a destination, but also a defining element" (Ref. 12). -"It is a skyscraper that brings nature right into the heart of dense urban surroundings" (Ref. 12). -"The new tower will create a landmark for the city, and also create a strategic economic generator for the district" (Ref. 12). -"From here, the tower will offer superb views of the Pyrenees, which are less than 100 kilometres away" (Ref. 12).

Climate-focused activities

Climate change mitigation:

  • Install vertical or horizontal artificial surfaces that help with carbon storage and cooling

Main beneficiaries

  • Private sector/Corporate/Company
  • Citizens or community groups

Governance

Management set-up

  • Led by non-government actors

Type of initiating organisation

  • Private sector/corporate actor/company
  • Other

Participatory approaches/ community involvement

  • Unknown

Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project

The initiators and clients of the property development are Compagnie de Phalsbourg, developer of commercial real estate (Ref. 2, 3). The building was designed by Studio Libeskind (Ref. 2). The responsibility for the construction of the vertical gardens has been appointed to landscape architect Nicolas Gilsoul (Ref. 4, 5). Ref. 11 indicates that prior to La Compagnie de Phalsbourg, the previous owner/developer was SNCF Immobilier, the national railway company (Ref. 11). Design Studio: Libeskind; Architect of Record: Kardham; Structural Engineer: Arcadis; MEP Engineer: Arcadis; Façade: VS-A Group; Landscape: Nicolas Gilsoul Architectures; Lighting: Agency 8' 18"; Marketing: Luxigon (Ref. 11).

Project implemented in response to ...

... an EU policy or strategy? Unknown
... a national policy or strategy? Unknown
... a local policy or strategy? Unknown

Financing

Total cost

More than €4,000,000

Source(s) of funding

  • Unknown

Type of funding

  • Unknown

Non-financial contribution

Unknown

Impacts and Monitoring

Environmental impacts

  • Climate change
  • Reduced emissions
  • Environmental quality
  • Improved air quality
  • Green space and habitat
  • Increased green space area

Economic impacts

  • Increase of green jobs (e.g. paid employment positions)
  • Attraction of business and investment
  • Generation of income from NBS

Socio-cultural impacts

  • Social justice and cohesion
  • Improved access to urban green space
  • Health and wellbeing
  • Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
  • Cultural heritage and sense of place
  • Improvement in people’s connection to nature

Type of reported impacts

Expected impacts

Presence of formal monitoring system

Unknown

Presence of indicators used in reporting

No evidence in public records

Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports

No evidence in public records

Availability of a web-based monitoring tool

No evidence in public records

References

1. Wang, Lucy. (2017). Daniel Libeskind unveils twisted, tree-covered skyscraper for Toulouse. Available at: Source link (Accessed: September 21, 2020).
2. Glassonweb. (2017). Studio Libeskind to build twisted, tree-covered skyscraper for Toulouse. Available at: Source link (Accessed: September 21, 2020).
3. Fison, Lizzie. (2017). Studio Libeskind to build twisted garden tower in Toulouse. Available at: Source link (Accessed: September 21, 2020).
4. Myall, Nick. (2017). The Occitanie Tower is the second project to be unveiled by Studio Libeskind and Compagnie de Phalsbourg at MIPIM last week. Available at: Source link (Website not available in 2020).
5. Libeskind. (2017). Occitanie Tower: Toulouse, France. Available at: Source link (Accessed: September 21, 2020).
6. Architizer. (2017). Occitanie Tower: Toulouse, France. Available at: Source link (Accessed: September 21, 2020).
7. Larrochelle, Jean-Jacques. (2017). Avec l’Occitanie Tower, Toulouse cherche à prendre de la hauteur. Available at: Source link (Accessed: September 21, 2020).
8. Source link. (2017). Toulouse | occitanie tower | 150m/492ft | 40 floors. Available at: Source link (Accessed: September 21, 2020).
9. Saint-Sernin, David. (2017). Occitanie Tower. Voici le futur gratte-ciel qui sera construit près de la gare Matabiau, à Toulouse. Available at: Source link (Accessed: September 21, 2020).
10. Source link. (2017). TOULOUSE | Occitanie Tower | 150m | 45 fl | Pro. Available at: Source link (Accessed: September 21, 2020).
11. Available at: Source link (Accessed: September 21, 2020).
12. Available at: Source link (Accessed: September 21, 2020).
A skyscraper in a city with vegetation wrapping around it
https://inhabitat.com/daniel-libeskind-unveils-twisted-tree-covered-skyscraper-for-toulouse/occitanie-tower-by-daniel-libeskind-7/
A model of a skyscraper with vegetation twisting around it
https://www.skyscrapercity.com/threads/toulouse-occitanie-tower-150m-45-fl-app.1984401/