Will Iconic be the future Beaubourg of Nice? The question is relevant as this ultra-modern “mushroom,” with its stripped-down structure and angular forms, stands out among the buildings facing it.
We will have to get used to this change in perspective and see the train station building as very small, a kind of hut next to the imposing and attractive construction. While the station reminds us of the past, having been built under Napoleon III, Iconic! insists on a gaze towards the future, the 21st century, one of modernity.
As the structure of the building takes shape, the architect Daniel Libeskind, whose international reputation is well-established, visited the site yesterday with the Mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, and property developer Philippe Jounno. The future real estate complex, about 19,000 m², will host a Hilton hotel with 120 rooms, five restaurants including a panoramic one, 4,200 m² of next-generation offices and shops, as well as a 600-seat performance hall.
Intended to become a new destination for locals and tourists between the station and Avenue Jean Médecin, the tram and the train, Iconic! is part of a global strategy to reclaim the Notre-Dame district to the south and revive the Libération district to the north. It will serve as an anchor point and energize the upper part of Avenue Jean Médecin, helping to redevelop the train station area.
