The Larvotto, a neighborhood located at the northeastern end of Monaco, presented so far, a waterfront fragmented into multiple levels, whose uses lost their meaning after summer season. Today, its requalification allows to simplify and unify what used to be juxtaposition, so that the beach, promenade, and avenue make up a unitary public space.

The new development of Larvotto is based on a wider vision of the Monegasque territory. This project is a continuationof the Mareterra district currently under construction, forming a coherent whole of public spaces along 1.5 km along the coastline. This project is exceptional in its dimensions and precision and established itself as comes as a natural ramification of the open spaces network and pedestrian walkways.

The new seaside complex designed by Renzo Piano along the Larvotto beach is covered by a 500 m long promenade that naturally follows the shape of the bay. This high promenade joins the level of the avenue Princesse Grace and constitute a new public space of 15,000m², framed at its northern and southern ends by two large parvis.

Maintaining a uniformity of treatment throughout the promenade is essential to the legibility required by the scale of the project. The precision of the details and their continuity of writing held over such distances is based on a very great rigor in the design, the choice of materials, and their implementation.

The ground is treated in a unique material: a limestone, which is characteristic of Monegasque public spaces. It extends the vocabulary we are developing for the Mareterra district project. The hardscape layout follows a two-ray curvature trace allowing rectangular slabs of varying dimensions to unfold parallel to the beach.

A new topography establishes continuities of an apparent simplicity. As it runs along the inclined avenue, the promenade extends transversely, cantilevering towards the sea. Seen from the beach, the nose of the slab appears perfectly horizontal, shadowing the façade of the shops that compose it. Below, a low promenade and its benches form the last threshold before the sandy beach.

Lines of trees and planted beds are displayed along the high promenade. A series of pergolas connect three accesses to the beach. The discontinuous canopy punctuates the space with a deep shadow. Planters and shrubbery provide a backdrop for strollers sitting on the benches facing the sea.

Their layout is the result of an interface meticulously rigged with the infrastructure works designed by the architects. The planting arrangements vary according to the situation: open ground, slab planting pits. Because of the existing parking area, the ground height is leveled up forming mound. The subjects planted are mostly mature trees. Whose size can be compared to the preserved existing trees.

At the ends of the high promenade, the parvis/ forecourt are richly planted with reference, recalling reference to the lush orchards and gardens of the French Riviera. To the south, a ramp gives access to the beach, and connects to the Mareterra coastline promenade.