Work on the first floor of France’s iconic Eiffel Tower is almost finished, with new upgrades offering visitors a glass floor to walk over, shops, restaurants, plus an events and conference space 57m (187ft) above Paris.

The first floor is the most spacious but also least visited storey of the Parisian structure, but the development by French studio Moatti-Riviére Architects – the first refurbishment on the tower in more than 30 years – will transform the section into an area for visitors to enjoy the unique vista.

The 5,000sq m (54,000sq ft) space on the first floor of the tower has been conceived by the architects as "a real urban space with its streets, its buildings and its central space," as well as featuring an educational pathway which will reveal the history of the building.

The redevelopment will also enable disabled access, which before now has been severely restricted, and introduces sustainable technologies such as solar power, rainwater harvesting, wind power and low-energy lighting.