Paris gets a 'green lung' with eco-friendly hotel

Japanese architecture firm Kengo Kuma has revealed plans for a plant-covered eco-luxury hotel in Paris, along the left bank of the Seine River.

With the facade made of overlapping wooden blocks, green, leafy plants will appear to be overflowing off the surface of the hotel. In addition to the exterior, a large garden will be planted for in the centre of the complex.

Set between two of the hotel’s blocks, the garden will also run along the main structure and a separate youth hostel. Surrounded by staggered walls, the central area will also offer a series of large terraces and a swimming pool.

“In the dense urban context of the Avenue de France, we felt the need to create a green lung for the city,” the studio said. “Nature finds place at the core of the scheme, translated in the intimate public garden where all sense are awoken.”

The facade consists of wooden fins that jut out with triangular profiles, arranged vertically across the building. The gaps between allow for green life to grow. Extending over the top and edges of the buildings, the fins soften the hotel’s outline.

The hotel’s facilities include a restaurant, a co-working space and a roof terrace.

DesignMENA recently reported on a new petition urging the Japanese government to resist using deforestation-led wood for Kengo Kuma’s stadium design. Read about it here.