In 2017, Foster + Partners' competition submission beat a proposal by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners for the opportunity to design the new extension to Marseille Provence Airport in France. More recently, France's environmental agency has raised questions concerning the project, arguing that the project's backers had understated the environmental impact of the expansion while also overstating its potential economic impact, The Architect's Journal UK reports.

The journal shared a statement from Foster + Partners addressing their environmental intentions and plans for the expansion that reads, "We have been appointed by the Aeroport Marseille Provence to design a terminal extension on a brownfield site adjacent to Marseille Airport's terminal 1. Our sustainable design proposal will exceed the existing French HQE standard, to align with the new E+C- standard, ensuring further energy and carbon efficiency. This new standard is currently being trialed in France and is expected to come into operation in 2020."

Although Foster + Partners' designs for the sustainably-minded project have been presented in detail, an online statement from the Autorité Environnementale (AE) explains, "The study is generally well documented, but has major methodological flaws in the definition of the study scenarios." Measures to address these flaws could include having the developer review the contended aspects of the project, including "those relating to traffic, noise, air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, and socio-economic assessment," to "demonstrate the compatibility of the project with France's commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050," according to The Architect's Journal UK.