An innovative eco-district built in the sea

To the east of Monaco, a new, six-hectare eco-district is taking shape. Designed by the architects Renzo Piano and Valode et Pistre, the buildings being constructed in the sea will be completed in 2025. It’s an enormous technical and environmental challenge.

Work on the Portier Cove project began in autumn 2017. This new eco-district being built on six hectares of reclaimed land will be home to 60,000 m² of luxury housing, an extension to the Grimaldi Forum, Monaco’s cultural and convention centre, a one-hectare park, a marina and public facilities.

The project developer, SAM Anse du Portier, and the builder, Bouygues Travaux Publics, are also employing a large number of innovative techniques to minimise the impact of construction on marine ecosystems and develop the new construction technologies that make this possible.

It’s a huge challenge, with urban extension projects globally mainly taking place in coastal regions.