Arcadis announces the end of work on the redevelopment of Porte de la Chapelle in Paris

Arcadis, an international engineering and consulting company, is pleased to announce the delivery of the Porte de la Chapelle redevelopment project, an urban space completely transformed in preparation for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris. As agent of the project management group, Arcadis was responsible for the City of Paris of piloting the project of requalification of this Parisian territory of the 18th arrondissement, which extends from Boulevard Ney to the fringe of Saint-Denis, between the Adidas Arena and the future Condorcet Campus.

This large-scale operation, which aims to reclassify public spaces and reduce the use of cars by promoting active mobility, mobilized Arcadis' multidisciplinary teams: project management, carrying out technical studies (sanitation, networks, roads and coverings, public lighting, three-color light signaling, vertical and horizontal signaling) and regulations (''water law''), management of works contracts, scheduling, management, and coordination of the site.

For Mikaël Beck, Project Director at Arcadis: “Our mission was to bring more nature, comfort and connection to this very degraded territory marked by the predominance of road infrastructure. The aim was to improve the landscape quality of public spaces, to highlight existing works of art and to create pedestrian and cycle continuity between Paris and Saint-Denis.

With more than 1.200 m² of planted areas, more than 180 trees planted and the creation of rainwater collection basins, the project was designed to improve the neighborhood's resilience in the face of climatic hazards. To achieve this, the Arcadis teams had to deal with the presence of multiple underground networks (sanitation, electricity, telecoms, fiber, gas, metro), which made the operation of revegetating the sidewalks and removed roads particularly complex.

In total, 7.000 m² of public spaces have been created or redeveloped to give pride of place to pedestrian traffic and bicycles, representing a 51% increase in the pedestrianized area and more than an additional kilometer of cycle paths.

Last major fact: during part of the night, users will be able to rediscover the district by contemplating the works of ten artists, projected onto the piles of existing works, a first in Paris. Never before in the capital have road infrastructures been highlighted thanks to such light effects.

For Céline Richet-Martin, Head of the division in charge of operations at the Roads and Travel Department of the City of Paris: “Our promise to make the Porte de la Chapelle the most beautiful entrance to the capital and the new Parisian Champs-Elysées is now a reality. With the development of a 4-meter-wide two-way cycle path and new 23-meter-wide promenades laid out on rue de la Chapelle and largely green public spaces, this is a new quality living environment for local residents who see the day. Without forgetting the Condorcet campus which will welcome 3500 students from the start of the 2025 school year. We congratulate the Arcadis teams, their partners as well as the companies for their rigor and mastery of the project, which enabled the completion of the work for the Olympic Games. »

The project to renovate the public spaces of Porte de la Chapelle, whose total budget amounts to 50 million euros, is part of a larger development operation, which includes new housing, green spaces, university equipment and an Arena which will host several Olympic and Paralympic events for the Paris 2024 Games.

For Nicolas Boffi, Development Director at Arcadis: “Our intervention at Porte de la Chapelle is part of a broader strategy to make the Boulevard Périphérique a real green belt to reduce emissions and rethink urban space, like other climate resilience projects carried out by Arcadis in the world like that of Lower Manhattan. An expertise in the transformation of infrastructures that we have been able to develop over 20 years on most of the gates of Paris, through projects such as the roofing of the Porte de Vanves, the development of the Porte de Vincennes and all the reflections linked to the become of the Device. »

The members of the project management group are:

• Arcadis: Project manager (agent)
• Richez_Associés: Architect – Urban planner
• Concepto: Lighting designer
• Emma Blanc Paysage: Landscaper
• Franck Boutté workshop: environmental engineering