Le Projet Triangle, Paris, France

For over thirty years Paris has laid low in the building stakes with a ban on buildings over 37 m in height brought in under Jacques Chirac’s rule when he was Mayor of Paris in 1977. But yesterday the first tower to be built in the French capital’s inner city, following the lifting of the ban in July, was revealed.

Officials in Paris voted to lift a ban on high rise buildings in the French capital in a bid to combat the city’s housing shortage and invigorate the city’s economic status. This decision has left the path clear for 20 high-rise designs, first flaunted by the current Mayor Bertrand Delanoe in Novemeber last year, to be approved.

The first of these designs to be approved is Herzog & de Meuron’s Le Projet Triangle which will stand at Porte de Versailles in Southern Paris. The design was showcased by Deputy Mayor, Anne Hidalgo yesterday who said in her blog: “Paris is indeed now part of the first world capitals in tourism business, trade fairs and exhibitions. Since 2001, the City of Paris has always radiated at the heart of its priorities economic development, employment and innovation. In a context of European and global competition increased, this ambition must now be translated in concrete by reinforcing its economic attractiveness.”

The design features a pyramidal block structure which will rise to 200 m and Hidalgo hopes that this design will “provide the city of Paris a true symbol commensurate with its economic vitality”. Others may be less excited about the prospect of a tower in the heart of the city however with 62% of the Parisian population opposed to high rises in the city. While Paris holds three regions for tall buildings on the outskirts, including La Defense to the West, the Triangle will be the third tallest structure in the inner city after the Eiffel Tower and Tour Montparnasse in the Montparnasse region. Due to be completed in 2012 the tower will contain offices a conference centre and a 400 bedroom hotel.

By Niki May Young / WAN

World Architecture Festival - Barcelona 22-24 Oct, 2008

In late October, Barcelona hosts the World Architecture Festival during which the great and good will attempt to choose the best building in the world.

CNN will get exclusive access to the event, the nominations, and the jury which includes some of the world’s greatest architects.

The program will start with an explanation of Barcelona’s unique architectural heritage. It will then feature short pieces on six of the architects and the buildings that have been nominated for awards. These profiles have been filmed in Mumbai, Tokyo, Pretoria, Munich, London and Maryland.

The program will also feature interviews with some of the world’s leading architects including Lord Norman Foster, Zaha Hadid and Wolf D Prix.

Foster is the founder of the London-based Foster and Partners architecture company which has recently won a competition to build Virgin Galactic’s New Mexico Spaceport Authority Building for space tourism. — CNN

10 Incredible Mud Structures and Citadels

For years, and still in some places, people build their own houses, mud brick by mud brick, creating a dwelling to be proud of, something of their own. This style of vernacular architecture is common place throughout much of the world yet is seen as something of a fad in the western world, especially among those who aren’t convinced sustainable living is the way forward.

If you’re thinking of building your own mud hut, take a load of these images we’ve complied for you. The workmanship is second to none, and enough to put most of us to shame!

1. Dejenne Mosque in Mali is the world’s largest mud structure. Built on the ruins of the first great mosque, which dated back to the 13th century, this current structure was built in just one year and is now a proud UNESCO World Heritage site.

2. This grand old Kasbah stands proud in the southern Moroccan town of Ouarzazate.

3. Dijinguere Ber Mosque, in Timbuktu, was built to resemble a pyramid as its creator Mansa Musa had not long returned from Egypt and wanted to build something to remind him of the country. It was constructed bewteen the years 1324 and 1327.

4. The Citadel of Rayen, in Iran, was constructed in between 224 - 652 AD and is quite similar to the Citadel of Bam, which is some 20 miles away.

5. Arg e Bam, in Iran, dates back at least 2000 years and is, or rather was, one of the most amazing complete mud towns. Unfortunately, much of it was destroyed in the earthquake of 2003, which killed an estimated 26,000 people.

6. Pimp up your hut. This one is in Earthaven, Black Mountain, NC. We’re not sure what style they were going for but it’s definitely individual!

7. The city of Shibam in Yemen is made up of towering mud skyscrapers, many of which are around 500 years old. The area has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1982.

8. This intriguing African mud building in Burkina Faso shares many qualities we now aspire to when building our homes – sustainability, sculptural design and participation of the community.

9. These wonderful beehive huts in Sarouj, Syria, and show off talented ancient building practices that are still used to this day.

10. Hand-made mud bricks lying out to dry in Nyeleni, Mali. Judging from the huts in the background of the pic, they produce mighty fine huts, too.