Little Manhattan seen by a resident

50 years ago, the first WTC tower was inaugurated in the Northern Quarter. The original idea for the Manhattan Project was to build 54 towers over an area of 53 hectares! It never saw the light of day, but it profoundly changed the dynamic of the district.

Around the Gare du Nord station and the Boulevard Roi Albert II, a succession of office buildings of all kinds has sprung up. The aesthetics of the infrastructure focused solely on its economic functions. Hence the term functionalist architecture. Sometimes punctuated by works of art.

Over the last ten years or so, public and private players have been keen to revitalise the district and make the offices coexist with the residents. Our guide is one of them, and he'll be inviting you to end the tour in his home. From the balcony of his 11th-floor flat, you can get a bird's eye view of the district's past, present and future developments.