The “Mille Arbres” project in the 17th arrondissement of Paris, February 3, 2016 – Handout Sou Fujimoto / Manal Rachdi-Oxo
- “A village floating in a forest, above the Paris ring road. This vision could appear utopian: however, it will soon take shape ”, announced the carriers of“ Thousand Trees ”.
- This project was one of the winners of the “Réinventer Paris” competition
- He is currently suspended.
It was presented as “spectacular”. The “flagship project” called “Mille Arbres” foresaw the construction of a “village” and its forest on the ring road in the 17th arrondissement, with housing, a 4-star hotel, a “gourmet street” and a crèche. He was one of the winners of the call for architectural projects intended to “Reinvent Paris” in 2016. The 22 selected projects represented a private investment of more than 1.3 billion euros. And were to bring in $ 565 million in revenue to the City through the sale or long-term lease of land. There were old
Baths-Showers dedicated to shared accommodation student, a wooden “Tower of Babel” and this “village” built on the ring road.
“A village floating in a forest, above the Paris ring road. This vision could appear utopian: however, it will soon take shape, Porte Maillot, and will abolish the concrete and asphalt border between Neuilly and Paris. Replaced by “Thousand Trees”, not one less, it will then design a new green skyline for Greater Paris, symbol of the renewal of the capital “, announced the project leaders. But the project – which should be delivered in 2022 – is for the moment well and truly suspended, reveals
The world.
A facelift without “Thousand Trees”
According to daily information, construction has not started. The building permit was attacked by Beauvais airport which is linked to the Porte Maillot bus station and works would have required a transfer from this location. The project was also in the sights of an environmental alliance. “I am amazed that elected representatives of the Parisian majority are suing a flagship project of the city”, lamented to the World, Philippe Journo, boss of the Compagnie de Phalsbourg, at the origin of the project. If it ever resumes, “we may finish it in 2029, or 2030,” he adds.
Covering an area of 60,000 square meters, the project was imagined by two architects, the Japanese Sou Fujimoto and the French Manal Rachdi. But the facelift of Porte Maillot is still in the pipeline. In August 2016, 150 trees were first cut down on this famous crossroads located between the Palais des Congrès and the Parodi square. The goal: to prepare the site of the future Eole station, which should see the light of day as an extension of the RER E.
The complete redevelopment of the square has also started to get under way. In the fall, a consultation was opened on the renovation of Porte Maillot. The ambition of the project is to transform the roundabout into the new Place du Grand Paris. “It is a huge roundabout which will become a real place of life with green spaces”, explained to 20 minutes, Emmanuel Grégoire, first assistant to Anne Hidalgo and in charge of town planning. A complete metamorphosis that will happen without the “Thousand Trees”.