◀︎  Lectures / beyond cycle

A thousand trees

Sou Fujimoto & Manal Rachdi

14 April 2016, 19:00 Sou Fujimoto architects  
Manal Rachdi, OXO architectes 
Led by OGIC and Compagnie de Phalsbourg in collaboration with architects Sou Fujimoto and Manal Rachdi- OXO Architects, the project “Mille Arbres” (“Thousand Trees”) has seduced the jury of “Réinventer Paris” with its innovative proposals.
“At a time when in certain parts of the world people are constantly trying to push their limits by building 1000 meter high skyscrapers, we think that ambition and audacity, in the capital of a country with a glorious past, both wise and self-confident, as France, is to dare to engage in another type of urban development, planting 1000 trees here, above the ring road of Paris.” Philippe Journo, President of Compagnie Phalsbourg.

“We will invent a new Parisian “art de vivre”, that of a sober hybrid city of tomorrow, reconciling nature and architecture.” Emmanuel Launiau, President and Director of OGIC.

A project that creates the link, symbol of the benevolent city :
“Mille Arbres is opening the border that the ring road represents today, Mille Arbres, is a public promenade, a forest housing office and apartment buildings, a hotel, restaurants, a large center dedicated to children, a bus station, everything in a unique environment.” Philippe Journo, President of Compagnie Phalsbourg.

“Mille Arbres will recreate links : links between Paris and Neuilly, links among its inhabitants, links between nature and architecture, links between present and future generations, with an architectural, ecological and sustainable challenge.” Emmanuel Launiau, President and Director of OGIC.
“ We love the idea of transforming this place on the ring road, a symbol of all the divisions between Paris and its suburbs, into a place that will be a symbol of “living together” in Greater Paris.”
Philippe Journo, President of Compagnie Phalsbourg.

A new skyline for Paris :
What is striking at first sight - the abundance of vegetation and the human scale.
It is a joint work of two architecture offices, one Japanese, another French. The first, Sou Fujimoto Architects, nourishes a continued reflection on the relationships between man, building and nature, between nature and architecture. The second, Manal Rachdi - OXO Architects, is a young Parisian office that also places nature in the heart of the city. Together, they’ve worked to provide the West of the capital with a new skyline.
“Mille Arbres, with its village and inhabited forest, proposes a new green skyline for Paris.” Sou Fujimoto and Manal Rachdi.

Between nature and architecture :
The project deserves its name, as exactly 1000 trees will be planted. The species were selected based on their capacity to grow in the urban atmosphere. Planted above the ring road, they help conceal the last border of Paris, at the same time creating a barrier against pollution.


Information

TYPE:  Three stages open Competition “Réinventer Paris”
SIZE: 55 654 m2
LOCATION: Paris, France
STATUS: 1. Prize
Developers: Compagnie de Phalsbourg, OGIC
Architects: Sou Fujimoto Architects, Manal Rachdi - OXO Architects
Sustainability:  Franck Boutté Consultants
Structural engineers: Arcadis, Bollinger Grohmann
Construction Company: Bouygues Construction
Landscape: Moz Paysage, Atelier Paul Arène
Kindergarten programming: Matthias Tronqual
Fire safety consultant: Cabinet Casso & associés
Infrastructure engineers: Alma
Fluids: Barbanel
Food Court: Philippe Starck