A high-rise building in Marseille
The project for a high-rise building (IGH) was launched in Marseille in the 1960s, at the heart of the “Trente Glorieuses” period. The city was experiencing strong demographic growth at the time, and the need for new housing was exploding.
The Grand Pavois was designed by Marseilles architects Georges and Jean Delbès, in collaboration with Bernard Laville and Guillaume Gillet. Construction began in 1972 under the direction of a property developer, Compagnie Générale de Développement Immobilier (COGEDIM). The construction techniques employed at the time were at the cutting edge of innovation, and the building was constructed using the moulded wall and sliding formwork techniques. Particular attention was paid to the foundations, in order to meet the constraints of such a high structure.
The building was completed three years later and welcomed its first residents in 1975.
The Grand Pavois occupies an 8750 m² site and is made up of three parts built above an underground car park with a capacity of 450 spaces:
- A base building housing commercial and tertiary spaces;
- A 30-storey building housing 330 flats;
- A 6-storey office building.
The building is ideally located in the Rond-Point du Prado district, at the junction of Avenue du Prado and Boulevard Michelet, close to Parc Chanot and the Orange Velodrome stadium.
