The Ensemble Immobilier Tour Maine-Montparnasse (EITMM) has selected 7 notable firms to continue to the second round in a competition for the renovation of Tour Montparnasse in the Montparnasse district of Paris, France.

© flickr user xispics. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

The Ensemble Immobilier Tour Maine-Montparnasse (EITMM) has selected 7 notable firms to continue to the second round in a competition for the renovation of Tour Montparnasse in the Montparnasse district of Paris, France.Often cited as one of the architecture world?s most hated buildings, Tour Montparnasse has been criticized for its discordance with the Parisian urban landscape ? just two years after its completion, new buildings over seven stories high in the city centre were banned, leaving the tower as an alien presence on the skyline.With the launching of the competition, the EITMM hopes to transform Tour Montparnasse into a beloved landmark with a complete renovation of the facade, the building entry and all interior spaces. The budget for the project is estimated to reach over 300 million Euro ($330 million USD), and will be funded in entirety by the building owners.
© flickr user chagiajose. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

After receiving inquiries from over 700 interested candidates, the list has been narrowed down to 7 multi-disciplinary teams, who will now design proposals that are ?capable of giving a powerful, innovative, dynamic and ambitious new identity to the f...