Two projects in La Défense announced at the Mipim real estate fair

The group of stakeholders led by the architecture and urban planning firm RSHP was chosen by Paris La Défense, the manager of this business district located west of Paris.

Still under consideration, this project is focused on a desire to open up the district to the Seine, to restore natural ground and to strengthen the mix of housing, offices and hotels in the district.

This 8-hectare area is located north of the historical axis between La Défense and the Louvre, between the heart of the business district and the Seine.

A previous redevelopment plan envisioned the destruction of apartment buildings, built in 1974, to construct two skyscraper towers, named "Hermitage Plaza".

This project was blocked by Paris La Défense in 2022. The expiry of the building permits was confirmed by an administrative court in February, a decision which can be appealed.

"Hermitage is abandoned, there are no more building permits," said Pierre-Yves Guice, director general of Paris La Défense.

Not far from Rives Seine, Groupama Immobilier will also create an "AI house" (artificial intelligence) in the "Le Diamant" building, which has nine floors and whose 14.000 m³ of offices, which will be empty in July, are the subject of studies to create housing.

"During this transition phase, Groupama Immobilier proposes to make it a tool for the transformation of La Défense," the real estate investment and management subsidiary of the French insurer Groupama said in a statement.

Several studies on the future of Europe's leading business district have been carried out and the main investors presented their "2050 vision" last year.

"All these studies have converged towards an innovation and training campus," but "2050 is too far away, we must act now," argued Roland Cubin, Deputy Managing Director of Groupama Immobilier, during a press conference.

The group therefore plans to launch a "temporary location" for three years, "intended to create an ecosystem of AI players", accessible at "below market rents" to attract start-ups.

Groupama Immobilier promises a "simple and quick" setup to create workspaces, meeting rooms, and training areas in just a few weeks.

The company aims for an opening as early as October this year and is launching two calls for expressions of interest to find the future occupants of the premises and its future operator.