Pyramid tower to be built in Paris

A pyramid-shaped tower in the south-west of Paris will be the first new high-rise building to be built in the French capital for 30 years. The construction of the 200 metre pyramid tower is due to begin in early 2010.

It has been designed by Swiss architectural firm Herzog & De Meuron, who earlier won fame for the Beijing Olympic Stadium and for London's Tate Modern museum. The tower will stand near the Porte de Versailles congress centre south of the Eiffel and Montparnasse towers - the two giants of today's Paris skyline.

The Socialist mayor of Paris Bertrand Delanoe said the project, financed by property developer Unibail with completion set for 2012, combined high-quality environmental performance with a design of "astonishing beauty".

Paris city council in July overturned a three-decade ban that limited the height of inner-city buildings to 37 metres (122 feet), in the hope it will attract innovative companies.

Part of wide-ranging regeneration plans, the towers are to mix shops, offices and childcare centres under plans championed by Delanoe despite hostility from green politicians and many Paris residents.

Job creation is one of the aims of the pyramid, which is destined to contain mostly office space. It is estimated the offices will house 5,000 workers