Green footbridges, apartment buildings… The district of La Défense imagines its future with several architects


Deserted during the successive confinements, the business district of La Défense, located in the west of Paris, has seen its model strongly questioned. The rise of telework has indeed highlighted its historical flaw, namely its lack of attractiveness beyond simple business. To try to change this image, Groupama Immobilier, owner of the future “The Link” tower, called on five architectural firms. The latter were instructed to imagine a future urban aerial route between the immense towers, on the model of the ”
High Line Of New York, or aerial parts of the
Green belt in Paris.

In the spirit of Groupama, this “Path” (name chosen for the concept) should both offer “easy access from neighboring towns and circulation between the towers (…) walks, soft mobility circuits and sports courses (….), restaurant or retail areas at altitude (…), streams, ponds ”. Unveiled this Wednesday, the various projects have therefore set about meeting these specifications. 20 minutes presents you with the most striking ideas.

A gigantic green “Ring”

Designed by the Enia firm, this “Ring” nearly 4 km long would consist of an elevated pedestrian path covered with vegetation all around La Défense. It would come to rest above the circular road boulevard which delimits the district. “Doors” would allow residents of neighboring towns (Courbevoie, Puteaux, Nanterre) to easily access this new space. Finally, this “Ring” would be enlarged in places in order to offer “suspended urban squares” that could accommodate shops or parks.

The Ring would bring new paths for pedestrians and bicycles in the neighborhood. – Enia Architects

“Batteries” to connect the towers

Imagined by ChartierDalix, a system of more or less large structures, called “Piles”, would allow easy movement from one tower to another. These small metal towers associated with walkways could be planted with trees and thus offer an outdoor space more welcoming than the concrete slab to employees in the neighborhood.

The piles would make it possible to connect several towers via footbridges.
The piles would make it possible to connect several towers via footbridges. – ChartierDalix

A new urban boulevard in the heart of La Défense

What if La Défense welcomed new residents? With his project called “L’Avenue”, Christian de Portzamparc proposes to reinvest in the district’s large esplanade by building small wooden buildings there. These would include apartments and shops, in order to create a new neighborhood life right in the middle of the towers.

View of the urban avenue of La Défense imagined by Christian de Portzamparc.
View of the urban avenue of La Défense imagined by Christian de Portzamparc. – 2Portzamparc

Projects with a still unclear finality

These architectural views, which can make you dream, remain for the time being a pure exercise in style carried out at the request of a private company. No precise costing or timetable is mentioned. Solicited by 20 minutes, the public establishment Paris-La Défense, which manages the development of the district, further recalls that it “was neither informed nor associated with the approach taken by Groupama Immobilier”. Not enough to unsettle the company, which claims to want to “deepen” its project with public decision-makers by the end of 2021, in order to be able to materialize it in the long term.



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