News Archive
Monaco to copy Dubai with glamorous new island
Released on 09/10/2008
The architecture giants Norman Foster and Daniel Libeskind are leading the race to build Monaco’s answer to Dubai’s world-famous palm islands.
Officials announced on October I that the leading British and American architects are joint favourites to build a US$15 billion artificial peninsula the size of 20 football pitches, which will jut out into the sea from below Monte Carlos casino.
Foster is bidding as part of a consortium called the Monte-Carlo Development Company, which also includes Italian and French construction giants Saipem and Bouygues. Libeskind’s project is being championed by the Monte-Carlo Sea Land consortium, made up of Japanese architect Arata Isozaki and Dutch and Belgian building groups Van Oord-Dragados and BESIX.
The project, announced back in 2006 when the French principality’s ruler Prince Albert II invited bids, would add 10 hectares onto Monaco’s two square kilometres.
Monaco has watched developments in Dubai with a covetous eye. It does not want to see its superstars migrating to the luxury hotels and beaches on Dubai’s palm islands. To ensure it matches the Arab emirate’s offshore developments, it is building housing and tourist facilities covering 275,000 square metres on the new cap. A flagship new public building will also appear, though specific plans have been jealously guarded.
What is known is that, unlike the sculpted, palm-shaped Dubai islands, the Monaco cap is intended to blend in with the jagged coastline. “This project has to look natural in the Monaco landscape – as if it’s always been there,” Monaco’s Prime Minister, Jean-Paul Proust, told the Monaco News (Monaco Actualite).
The peninsula will pose severe technical problems to the eventual contractors. Prince Albert II has banned the use of underwater embankments to limit disruption to the marine habitat, and has insisted on energy-saving technology and recycled water. The designers are expected to build on a 1km platform, resting on giant blocks up to 50m deep.
Prime Minister Proust said Britain’s Foster and his US rival Libeskind stood out among the five shortlisted bids for their technical and environmental qualities and respect for the natural site. But he stressed that no decision had been made and said Monaco authorities would review all bids in the light of the global economic crisis, to make sure they are financially sound.
“We are in the eye of the hurricane at the moment and we must consider the financial aspects carefully,” Mr Proust told the Monaco News. “But the global crisis will not affect the long-term viability of the project. We hope to be able to have a clear financial plan by Christmas, and by February 2009 at the latest.”
He said the State of Monaco would keep hold of the reins to ensure the feasibility of the plans. “The banks have already made promises, but we want guarantees,” he said.
Among the rival bids are a joint proposal by US designer Frank Gehry and Dutchman Rem Koolhas. Their bid is likely to be rejected for being too utopian, and for not fitting in with the local scenery.
Prince Albert II will choose the winner from the five bidders. The result is due to be announced by February next year, with work to begin by 2011 and expected to last 10 years.
