On Friday, July 26th, Paris began the long-awaited Olympic and Paralympic Games. Located in the city’s Seine-Saint-Denis district, Dominque Perrault Architecture designed the master plan for the Athletes Village. Featuring 2,400 housing units and 119,000 square meters of various activities, offices, and services, this master plan has become a significant portion of the legacy of the Paris Games.
The site, covering 51 hectares across Île-Saint-Denis, Saint-Denis, and Saint-Ouen, aims to integrate with the existing urban fabric and enhance interactions with the city. Located in an area undergoing significant urban transformations, the master plan is designed to integrate by 2050 into the metropolitan scale centered around the Seine. During the Games, the Village’s strategic location will minimize athlete’s travel, with the Stade de France and the aquatic center just minutes away by bus and the Saint-Denis Pleyel train station providing quick access to central Paris.
The design includes six urban units called “island boats,” inspired by major architectural elements like the Cité du Cinéma. Each unit has its own identity and role in the overall plan. The tower block form was chosen to balance sustainability with good sunlight and outward views of the Seine. These adaptable buildings will host various functions such as residences, offices, hotels, student housing, and shops. Additionally, they are designed to create open public spaces and inner courtyards with views of the surrounding landscape.
Dominique Perrault Architecture aimed to make the project environmentally sustainable for the broader Grand Paris Express by focusing on high sustainability standards, generous public spaces, eco-friendly transportation, and increased greenery and biodiversity. This included developing the riverbanks and integrating numerous green spaces, with open inner courtyards offering views of the quays. In fact, the design features nature on building rooftops, which will serve as shared spaces or be dedicated to urban agriculture.
Furthermore, the project aims to minimize energy consumption through a robust energy strategy focusing on reducing usage and increasing local production. It emphasizes using digital technologies, adaptable spaces, and comprehensive urban services. Mobility is central to the project, with networks catering to all user types and an evolving vision extending to 2050. The new Saint-Denis Pleyel train station, designed by Kengo Kuma, will further anchor this district as a new metropolis center. Additionally, The Seine will play a crucial role, linking this new masterplan to the heart of Paris.
Ultimately, the Athletes’ Village aims to be an exemplary district by 2025 and a sustainable new neighborhood by 2050. Today, it offers accommodation for athletes during the Games. In the future, it is designed to serve as a long-term urban development accessible to all and connected to the larger metropolitan area, driving significant urban transformations.
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