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-   -   Plan to cover Eiffel Tower in plants (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/plan-to-cover-eiffel-tower-in-plants-913610/)

serge365 Nov 30th, 2011 10:02 AM

Plan to cover Eiffel Tower in plants
 
http://www.thelocal.fr/1902/20111130/

StCirq Nov 30th, 2011 10:29 AM

Mon Dieu! That's hard to imagine.

PalenQ Nov 30th, 2011 10:43 AM

Great idea hope it comes to fruition. Seems no public funds are being used?

merci pour le posting!

Michael Nov 30th, 2011 10:57 AM

It does not sound very cost effective if it is to be taken down in 2016.

cigalechanta Nov 30th, 2011 11:03 AM

Reminds me of the enormous pup covered in flowers, a work of Jeff Koons.It towered in front of the entrance of the Bilbao entrance

Michael Nov 30th, 2011 11:50 AM

More like the plant wall of the MQB.

YankyGal Dec 1st, 2011 07:11 AM

Interesting. Thanks for posting.

Does anyone know where in the suburbs the "scaled-down prototype" is that's mentioned in the article? Sounds like a project for kerouac or FMT to me. :-)

Pvoyageuse Dec 1st, 2011 08:25 AM

"Does anyone know where in the suburbs the "scaled-down prototype" is that's mentioned in the article?"

Supposedly at Elancourt.

gomiki Dec 1st, 2011 08:27 AM

Count me as one who doesn't like the idea. Wouldn't it contribute to rust on the metal? What about the lights on the tower now?

serge365 Dec 1st, 2011 08:38 AM

good point..gomiki..

gomiki Dec 1st, 2011 08:55 AM

And 378 tons is a LOT of extra weight. The air flows through the structure now. Those plants will catch and block a lot of air flow. What kind of plants? Evergreen? What happens in winter when they turn brown?

Margaretlb Dec 1st, 2011 09:11 AM

Very strange. I seem to recall that when Le Jules Verne was under renovation, everything removed had to be weighed and anything added, also weighed. To add that amount of tonage and wind resistance - well, I guess the engineers know what they're doing. Wonder how the heat from the lights will effect the plants. And, I also wonder if the plants will turn brown in the winter.

Michael Dec 1st, 2011 12:08 PM

Turning the Eiffel Tower into a giant topiary is about as appropriate as turning the façade of Versailles into a living wall, and I like living walls.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...57623429262296

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...57624394481445

daveesl Dec 1st, 2011 12:20 PM

I do not think this is a very well thought out idea. Eiffel designed the tower specifically to be extremely light, but strong due to the lattice design. Reducing airflow and increasing weight can have an affect. I also agree that this would seem to be counter-productive on a cost basis, as the plants can cause a problem in the rust department and will also be a nightmare when trying to remove them.

dave

gomiki Dec 1st, 2011 12:30 PM

Honestly, I think this is one of the most harebrained schemes I have ever heard of!

cigalechanta Dec 1st, 2011 02:20 PM

and will spoil the view when we ice skate up there in the winter.

kerouac Dec 1st, 2011 02:24 PM

The proposal was laughed down by the municipal authorities of the city of Paris before it was even presented. Just a lot of free publicity for a clever agency who wanted to impress naive people around the world.

kerouac Dec 1st, 2011 02:26 PM

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/ar...=feeds-newsxml

gomiki Dec 1st, 2011 02:33 PM

Phew! kerouac, thank you for the link. I really didn't believe it would happen.

And, I have a question for you. Will you be taking photos of the Christmas windows at the grands magasins and Christmas around Paris? I am really missing seeing it this year. Through your eyes would be a close second.

cigalechanta Dec 1st, 2011 06:38 PM

pwew! is right. thanks again kerouac
and I too will look forward to the Christmas windows
for us who can't afford Paris.


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