Nearly 20% of Monaco’s existing land area is artificial. The coastal principality along the Côte d'Azur has long been expanding into the Mediterranean, with first efforts beginning as far back as 1865. The most recent expansion has been underway for over a decade and has led to the construction of the Tour Odéon.

The next and eighth expansion in his history will see the reclamation of six hectares of land from the Mediterranean sea, for an area that will be called Mareterra – named by the Prince of Monaco as a threshold between the sea and land. Renzo Piano has been called to design the building dubbed “Le Renzo”, which will introduce 120 residences, while the overall masterplan is designed by Paris-based architecture firm Valode & Pistre Architectes.

The project will not only be accessible to residents but public spaces have also been planned, including a promenade, shops, and restaurants. In addition, the architects have developed a plaza that will exhibit a restored sculpture by Alexander Calder and will be immersed in 110,000 square feet of a park, designed by landscape architect Michel Desvigne.

The development is expected to complete by 2024. Meanwhile experts have been invited to develop two artificial reef villages which mimic a coral environment, to try to restore the ecosystem along Monaco’s coast.