Description
Gare Thiers-Est now stands as a striking new landmark in the heart of Nice—a bold fusion of architecture, urban renewal, and sculptural expression. Designed by Studio Libeskind, in collaboration with Fevrier Carre Architectes and renowned landscape architect Jean Mus, the project emerged as the winning entry in an international competition sponsored by the City of Nice.
Completed as part of the broader redevelopment of the Thiers central station area, the 20,000-square-meter complex reconnects the city’s fragmented urban fabric. It forges new pedestrian pathways linking the station with Avenue Jean Médecin and seamlessly integrates the previously divided northern and southern neighborhoods, long separated by the railway and the Pierre-Mathis road.
The complex hosts two vibrant levels of high-end retail, a 120-room hotel, state-of-the-art office spaces, and a dramatic sculptural entry pavilion. Below ground, a 200-seat auditorium provides a flexible venue for cultural and corporate events. At the top, a panoramic restaurant with an open roof terrace offers expansive views of the city and the sea, enhancing the public experience.
Architecturally, Gare Thiers-Est is inspired by the angular, mineral forms of azurite, a stone native to the region. The building rises nearly 40 meters in crystalline peaks, with a façade clad in reflective metal panels and patterned glass—each facet catching and refracting the light, sky, and surrounding cityscape. This shimmering skin gives the structure a jewel-like presence, transforming it into a dynamic sculptural form that shifts with the time of day and seasons.
Visible from Avenue Thiers, Avenue Jean Médecin, and the railway tracks, the completed Gare Thiers-Est embodies a strong architectural identity and serves as a new civic gateway—redefining the experience of arrival in Nice and offering a dynamic destination for residents, travelers, and visitors alike.