Every 7 years, the Eiffel Tower must be repainted. But more significant interventions occur, of course, less often: the last time was 30 years ago, when new pavilions on the first tier helped to attract more visitors than in the entire previous century.
This year, which became the 125th for the steel symbol of all romantics and dreamers, the authorities decided to resort to a similar trick in order to repeat, and perhaps surpass that success. The pavilions, which became a sensation in the 1980s, are now technically outdated and did not meet the expectations of visitors, and therefore the first tier has become the least visited of all 3 levels available to the public.
Over the entire period of the tower's existence, it changed its appearance several times. In 1889, the pavilions built there fully corresponded to the general style of the tower; in 1937, the next World Exhibition, external galleries with panoramic views of the city were added there. The last reconstruction, in 1981, played with mirrored surfaces and tone-on-tone painting to the tower, made the pavilions invisible, but on the contrary closed access to panoramic views.
In order to again attract visitors to the "1st floor" of the tower, a reconstruction was started, in which the authorities invested about 30 million euros. In October 2010, the announced competition was won by the French bureau of architects and set designers Moatti-Rivière in tandem with the company Bateg, which was responsible for the implementation of the project. The project involved the construction of two new pavilions in place of a pair of old ones. The third "old" - the central one where the restaurant is located - was preserved, but its facade was reconstructed in accordance with the new project.
The architects approached the 5000 m2 of the first level of the tower as "a real urban space with streets, buildings and a central square, only raised 57 meters above the ground." The central square is a spacious observation deck overlooking the Field of Mars. It continues with an outer gallery and a “patio” with a glass floor.
Futurism on top
According to the tasks set by the organizers of the competition, a concert hall named after M. Gustave Eiffel. According to the city authorities, it should become one of the most attractive Parisian "venues" for events. On the opposite side of it is a new pavilion with a cafeteria and a souvenir shop. The central pavilion still houses the famous 58 Tour Eiffel restaurant.
The new streamlined, "futuristic" shapes fit seamlessly into the spaces between the supporting structures.
The entrance areas of the elevators were also reorganized. In the design of the Eiffel bureau, they were open, and the covered glass pagoda pavilions appeared for the first time only in 1982 to protect visitors and employees from bad weather. Since then, due to the constant growth of attendance, the entrance areas have been corrected several times. Now these are spacious elevator halls, with the dynamics of volumes following the bends of the tower structure.
The path of science and history
Now the 1st tier of the tower has turned into a museum and educational project. The architects coped with the task of educating the masses with a bang. On the observation deck, screens are installed that tell about the history of the tower. One of them demonstrates an animated infographic of the construction process of the "Iron Lady", as the Parisians call the symbol of the French capital. This video, in addition to historical facts, explains in detail the design principles of the project and at the same time teaches a short course in physics. So, the elevator of the tower of the model of 1889 worked on the principle of scales: the cabins reached the middle of the path, balancing each other. From the middle to the top, the laws of hydraulics were applied: the elevator made the rest of the journey using fluid pressure.
The next screen tells the story of the World's Fair, held in Paris in 1889. This is a small theater, which is impossible to tear yourself away from either children or adults: the talent of the Moatti-Rivière set designers really showed themselves here.
The gallery on the perimeter of the 1st level is an open street with a circular panorama of Paris. The stands here tell about the importance of the tower in the context of world culture and about the life and work of Gustave Eiffel. But the authors of the project did not forget about entertainment: on interactive screens, you can repaint the tower and launch fireworks around it.
The architects not only gave the public access to the breathtaking views of the city, but also took on the challenge of creating a barrier-free environment. All public spaces are equipped with ramps and are accessible for people with limited mobility.
To fall under your feet
And finally - of course, the glass floor, which has already become a sensation in the press. Indeed, curved transparent platforms were added to the existing gallery. Now the passage has become wider by about a third, and in the added space, tourists rush to take pictures from a 57-meter height of people-points, lining up to the elevator to the tower. Standing there is not so scary: a tall glass fence is responsible for safety.
The authorities, hoping to increase attendance, relied on an attraction that evokes strong emotions. The top view is really interesting, but, in my opinion, the scenography is much more mesmerizing. The architects managed to organize the site of the first level in such a way that one would like to stay there and consider everything.
One of the goals of the undertaken reconstruction was also to care for the environment: the tower is very keen to reduce its "carbon footprint". Therefore, in the coming years, it is planned to install solar panels, reservoirs for collecting rainwater and wind turbines there.
And if, on my first visit to Paris, the visit to the Eiffel Tower was not on the must visit list, this time my interest in reconstruction won out my dislike for large crowds. On Sunday morning, the queue was not that long, and there was practically no queue to climb the stairs on foot. Therefore, add this immortal tower to your lists - if, of course, it is not already there.
