Faculty advisors: 

Emmanuèle Cunningham Sabot - Professor of Urban & Regional Studies, Ecole Normale Supérieure 

David Holzman - Adjunct Professor, NYU Tandon School of Engineering

Alice Reznickova  - Industry Assistant Professor, Director of Sustainable Urban Environment, NYU Tandon School of Engineering

The main concept of ​the proposal is the idea of ​​connection: physical, social but also symbolic connections. The team emphasizes the strengths and assets of the neighbourhood, bringing all the elements together to create a more livable and connected space. To create a new and revived Porte d’Orléans the project focuses on the restructuring of the central axis; cross-connectivity; contemporary uses. 

Nouvelles Connexions Urbaines strengthen the link between green spaces, by creating pleasant walks crossing the site, widen the cycle lanes and increasing accessibility to infrastructure. In addition, various community spaces and services are proposed such as farmers markets, to enhance the community feeling and experience.

Key components

• Two local farmers markets are proposed in the area. These will serve as community gathering places and local trading centres. To help divert waste from landfills, composting dumpsites will be included in the markets. 

• Implement a service station for sustainable transport hosting bicycle parking and a shared bicycle station.

• Create pleasant walks  "Path of freshness" through the Cimetière de Montrouge and decorate walkways with greenery and shade to protect pedestrians from the heat.

• The partially abandoned building, Galerie Marchande Le Square, will benefit from revitalization, by welcoming entrepreneurial and commercial structures, and coworking spaces, which will encourage community engagement.

• Improve the connection of affordable housing units with the surroundings and create a new centrality to the east of the site. Place Ambroise Croizat, for instance, will become a meeting area with lots of greenery and vibrant activities.
  
  

Find more information about the project here.

Presentation of the site

The Porte d´Orléans district is located south of the 14th arrondissement on the border with the city of Montrouge and close to the ring road. This district is served by many public transport services. However, the spaces around the Porte d´Orléans are hostile and there are high levels of car traffic. This is attributed to fact that the área provides a connection to the motorway to leave Paris.

The area is a socially mixed and divided district with significant differences in income levels. A tram line runs through the neighbourhood, with different types of housing on either side. On one side is social housing (HBM) up to the Porte de Vanves and the Quartier Montsouris, on the other, less densely populated streets.

These issues coupled with a lack of retail, basic services and public amenities and facilities means the district faces economic, social and environmental issues. These must be resolved in an integrated way to develop a more peaceful, mixed, inclusive and dynamic district. The principles of the 15-minute city may help address this.

Approx. site area
60 hectares around the Porte d'Orléans on a 15-minute walk scale. This leads approximately to the town of Montrouge to the south, to the entrance to the inner ring and to the Prise d’Avennes school to the north and to the Jean Moulin and Jourdan-Montsouris tram stations.

Demographics 

The population is mixed with very disparate income levels - rather high-income households in the north (near Alésia) and lower-income households in the south (near the Porte de Montrouge).

TEDxCountdown talk of the winning team