FEATURE ARTICLE Diaphragm Wall Creates Space for a Tower in Monaco The wealthy principality of Monaco is an enclave in the southeast of France, on the Mediterranean coast. The country itself is a narrow strip of land that spans less than a square mile, making it the second smallest country in the world — yet one of the most heavily developed and densely populated. Part of its urban development actually sits on French soil. The principal economic factors for Monaco are business and tourism. Monte Carlo, the most popular quarter in Monaco, is widely regarded as the gambling capital of the world and commands some of the highest property prices per square meter in the world. To keep up with the demand for housing in the tiny principality, Monaco will need to find an estimated extra 300,000 to 350,000 sq m (3 to 3.5 million sq ft) of additional housing every 10 years. For such a small area, the only options are to carve out what little space remains in the steep hillside to construct high-rises and skyscrapers, or to begin constructing housing structures at sea, similar to the construction of The Palm in Dubai. A peninsula structure at sea, similar to The Palm, was, in fact, in the works before it was stopped in 2008 by the current monarch, Prince Albert. This development would have added an additional 37 acres (15 hectares) to the principality. Had the development moved forward, Prince Albert would have been the second monarch to ever expand the countries acreage by means other than arranged marriage or military conquest. The only other monarch to make such strides was his father, Prince Rainier. Environmental concerns, among others, led to cancelling the housing development at sea, but Prince Albert did make the decision to move ahead with the Odeon Tower development, the first high- rise structure built in Monaco in 30 years. The Odeon Tower is a double- skyscraper, a luxury residential building being constructed in the eastern portion of Monaco, along the border of France. The building will be divided into two towers, with 44 floors on one side and 48 floors on the other. The entire building will rest on a 10-story, underground parking garage. It will reach 160 m (525 ft) making it the first true skyscraper to be constructed in Monaco. The tower will include a spa and wellness center, business center, retail space and 177 apartments. In 2009, construction began on the new superst ructure. Par is-based Soletanche Bachy, parent company of Nicholson Construction, is one of six construction firms working on the 56- month project as part of a general contracting consortium that also includes Soletanche Bachy’s parent company, Vinci Construction, France. The Vinci- Soletanche team formed a unique relationship which allowed both companies to optimize performance and cost on their respective roles in the diaphragm wall solution. The Odeon Tower project is unique not only for its location, but also for the height of the towers and the depth of the foundations. When completed, the Odeon Tower will sit within a tightly enclosed hillside that slopes heavily toward the sea. This location, while scenic for its future residents, severely limits the space needed for the various pieces of large construction equipment. In addition, street access to the site is restricted. While construction in urban areas is always a challenge, construction activities in the congested principality of Monaco are in an entirely different category. 46 • DEEP FOUNDATIONS • JAN/FEB 2013 AUTHORS Gretchen Connelly, Communications Director and Thomas Joussellin, Engineering Manager, Nicholson Construction Company
