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Reichen & Roberts wins competition to design new heart for Marseille’s port

French architect Reichen and Robert & Associates (RR&A) has been selected to spearhead a €100m makeover of the Grand Port of Marseille.

The practice has designed a makeover of the port’s J1 maritime hall as a visitor attraction complete with floating pool, climbing wall, e-sports room, public promenade, spa, and water park, as well as restaurants, shops and a 130-room hotel.

The J1 was built in the 1920s and covers an area of 25,500 sq m. Its owner, port operator Marseille Fos, described it as "ideally positioned to be the heart of the new urban ensemble". The port will lease out the property once it is redeveloped.

Jean-Claude Gaudin, the mayor of Marseille, said the "Passerelle" project was essential to making Marseille "even more attractive and innovative".

The scheme is being jointly developed by ADIM Provence, a subsidiary of Vinci, the Banque des Territoires and the Caisse des Dépots.

The construction work will be carried out by Vinci Construction, and work is expected to begin in 2021 and by completed in 2023.

A video of the project can be seen here.

Image: Reichen and Robert & Associates’ rendering of La Passerelle

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