Sou Fujimoto Architects has been chosen to
construct the second architectural folly of the 21st century in
Montpellier, France, along with Nicolas Laisne Assicies and OXO
Architects. The building extends 17 stories accommodating residential
units, office spaces, an art gallery, and a restaurant and bar. Named
the ‘White Tree’, the 10,000 square meter structure grows organically
out of the ground, with a natural form that appears to have been
sculpted over time. The scheme’s various branches also provide selected
areas of shade for adjacent properties.
Each of the high-rise’s residents will
select a preferred floor plan from a list of possible layouts,
encouraging ‘free choice architecture’ with a series of modular spaces.
Influenced by the city’s fondness for outdoor living, balconies
gravitate toward the exterior, like leaves fanning out to absorb
sunlight. Offering a diverse range of programs, the tower welcome’s
Montpellier’s residents and visitors with a ground floor restaurant and
art gallery and a penthouse bar that provides panoramic views across the
ocean and neighboring mountain range.
