Lord Rogers’ architectural partnership, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, has been chosen by the principality of Monaco to help redevelop the heart of Monte Carlo in a project due to be completed by 2016.

Lord Richard Rogers is one of the great names in the world of architecture and contemporary urban planning.

Awarded the Golden Lion for lifetime achievement at the Biennale di Venezia (2006) and the Pritzker Prize (2007), he has designed several prestigious international projects including the Centre Georges-Pompidou in Paris and the Millennium Dome in London.

The aim of the project, being co-ordinated by Monegasque architect Alexandre Giraldi under the auspices of Société des Bains de Mer, is to redevelop the site currently occupied by the Sporting d’Hiver so that it can reassert its historical role in the economic, social and cultural development of the city.

The Sporting d’Hiver will be replaced by a group of three buildings as part of a mixed-use program including shops, upmarket residences, offices, recreational and cultural areas.

An area comprising 4,850m2 will consist of prestigious boutiques on the ground floor and lower storeys, 36 luxury apartments (18,000m2) on the upper storeys, 4,500m2 of offices, 3,000m2 of conference facilities including a vast auditorium equipped with multimedia technology, and an exhibition area covering 800m2 and more than 500 parking spaces.

To preserve the architectural memory of the Sporting d’Hiver, the Salle des Arts — probably its most memorable feature — will be recreated inside this contemporary setting.

Among the architectural priorities is the need to create a scheme which will breathe new life into the district and create an example of green urban planning and sustainable development.

An extra 30 per cent of space will be accessible to the public on this re-landscaped site and, at its centre, there will be a new tree-lined pedestrian thoroughfare linking the avenue des Beaux-Arts to the gardens at the top end of the Place du Casino.

This project supports Groupe Monte-Carlo SBM’s development strategy by optimising its real estate portfolio (the new space being for rent) and by attracting future international clients, to Monaco, who require high-quality accommodation and outstanding services.

These new clients will contribute not only to the development of the company’s hospitality and property income but will also support its traditional activities in the gaming sector.

This new project clearly reflects the strategic vision of the Principality of Monaco: to be a business and convention centre, provide high quality residential accommodation, organise cultural activities and attract high class international retail brands, helping Monaco’s economic development and its ability to create hundreds of new jobs.