With the 2024 Olympic Games opening ceremony fast approaching, Paris has captured global attention. In addition to the venues being prepared for the Olympics, the city offers a wide range of architectural projects that showcase its efforts to improve the urban environment and promote a greener and more inclusive city. Among these, the new Clichy Batignolles Eco-District in the 17th arrondissement of Paris is a 54-hectare development that set out to transform the former SNCF rail yard into a new neighborhood. The initiative features contributions from internationally recognized architects including MAD Architects, Architect Périphériques, and RPBW, among others. Read on to discover the urban development through the lens of architecture photographer Paul Clemence.
Coordinated by architect and urban planner François Grether, in collaboration with Jacqueline Osty, and OGI engineering, the mixed area is centered around an expansive green space in the form of the Martin Luther King Park, one of the largest ones in the city. The 10-hectare park designed by landscape architect Jacqueline Osty improves the quality of life in the district, while also improving urban connectivity with ample connections to the existing street network.
A key goal of the development is the creation of a dense urban fabric within the formerly restrictive zone, bridging areas that were once separated by the railway. This way, the area is transformed into a cohesive link between surrounding neighborhoods. The district will host 7,500 residents and an estimated number of 12,700 jobs, with amenities and commercial activities integrated throughout.
The Paris Courthouse, a 160-meter-high Renzo Piano Building Workshop, anchors the northern sector, enhancing connectivity by mitigating the ring road barrier. Additionally, other national facilities such as the Cité du Théâtre are planned for the area.
Clichy-Batignolles aims for carbon neutrality, employing energy-efficient buildings, extensive photovoltaic panels, and a geothermal heating network. The district's green spaces, including 26,000 sqm of green roofs and 6,500 sqm inside housing blocks, enhance biodiversity and manage rainwater naturally. Public transport, reduced car dependency, and soft mobility solutions improve air quality and ease movement within the district. Innovative features like vacuum waste collection further minimize environmental impact. This ambition for sustainability is also reflected in its vying for the EcoQuartier label from the French Ministry of Sustainable Development.
Architectural photo series such as this provide architects with an opportunity to explore an architectural ensemble through different points of view, exploring spatial dimensions, the interplay of light and structure, and design elements. Photographer Paul Clemence has recently shared a photographic collection exploring Peter Zumthor’s Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), currently under construction, offering a peek into the building process of this long-awaited project. The photographer has also recently explored Oscar Niemeyer's Itamaraty Palace in Brazil, and the architecture of the Aluminaire House in Palm Spring, designed by Albert Frey and Lawrence Kocher and currently undergoing a renovation process.
We invite you to check out ArchDaily's comprehensive coverage of the Paris 2024 Olympics.
