L’Arbre Blanc

The tower won a city competition for a modern folly. It was designed by a Japanese architect together with three young practices from the host country.

The curved, 17-storey tower holds 113 apartments, each facing a different direction. The tree-like form encourages outdoor living in a mild climate, and the design team set out to reinvent the tower block at a human scale.

Every apartment has its own balcony. Some cantilever more than seven metres, and duplex flats have two balconies linked by a stair. The balconies branch out from the facade like leaves, shaded by white louvres and pergolas.

At ground level a glazed public gallery opens onto a riverside park. At the top, a public bar with a panoramic garden sits beside a shared space for residents.