The Simona / Jean-Pierre Lott Architecte

Architects: Jean-Pierre Lott Architecte
Location: Monaco
Design Team: Agence Jean-Pierre Lott, Suzanne Belaieff
Contractor: SAM Esperanza
Area: 7,500 sqm
Year: 2012
Photographs: Serge Demailly, Courtesy of Jean-Pierre Lott Architecte

Major cities are currently facing up to issues surrounding their growth. Sparse and expensive building land has lead to the densification of plots. As such, vertical development has become a solution for the future.

In Monaco, more than else where, the only way to develop is up. The Simona, located in the Jardin Exotique neighbourhood, at the city limits, will stand as an example for the principality’s new planning initiatives.

Thus, the opportunities inherent in high-rise development have been seized to provide apartments with the best views over the exception allandscape and the best exposure,supplying the city with a unique structure, representative of future local developments.

Such a construction provides great comfort forits apartments: the views, an open outlook.The project’s impact upon the city is quite considerable.

The project is ambitious: it seeks to deliver astudy in housing typology and, beyond the building itself, an analysis of urban structure and a response to the question of the city’s densification.

The structure’s unusual vocabulary will broadenthe city’s palette. The building raises questions;its very visibility will involve it in considerations about the city’s development.